One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night
by Callicokitten
Summary: Amy Pond wasn't the only child in Leadworth with an imaginary friend and she certainly wasn't the only one an extraordinary destiny. A creature hidden deep within the earth is stirring and it's up to two dead boys to save the universe once more.
1. Rory

**Leadworth, 1995.**

When Rory is six his mother dies.

She's been ill for a while, he knows that. His father says there was nothing they could do, he knows that too. But Rory is six and his mother has just died and all he can think is: _I should have saved her. _

After his mother's funeral his dad spends less and less time with Rory. He says it's because he needs to work extra hard to earn enough money now that mum's dead. But in reality it's because Rory has mum's eyes and hair and nose and smile, and Rory knows this.

His mother used to tuck him in and tell him stories about the monsters she and his dad fought but she'd always end the story by saying, "But monsters don't exist, baby. You know that, right?" and Rory would nod and she'd kiss him and sing him to sleep. Now Rory tucks himself in and lies awake until he hears his dad come home late at night.

He doesn't get on with anyone at school. He's shorter than them, quieter, meeker. And his Dad's just too strange. Everyone in Leadworth knows about the time his dad blamed that string of murders on a werewolf and that he was the last person to see Luke Grayson before he disappeared. His dad tells him not to get to close to anyone in case they have to move again. And Rory knows this and Rory understands. What he doesn't understand is why he can't have any friends.

After six months Dad starts coming home from work beaten up. Once he comes home with long, deep claw marks all across his chest and back. Rory has to patch him up, mum used to do this, but she can't anymore. Dad never tells Rory how he gets his wounds but Rory finds his Dad's diary and reads about ghouls and werewolves and demons and vampires and monsters that live under the bed.

That night Rory curls up in his bed, shivering and whimpering. _Please don't let the monsters get my Dad. Please don't let the monsters get me. Please, please, please!_

He's woken up that night by a flutter of wings and he sits bolt upright, pulling the plastic sword from under his pillow. (His dad won't let him have a real knife so he had to make do with the sword from his last Halloween costume) "Who's there?" he demands.

He's met with a soft chuckle. "You can put that sword away, kiddo. You won't be needing it. Not for a very long time." The voice is American.

Rory blinks; he can't quite see the figure standing over his bed but he doesn't feel afraid. "Who are you?" he repeats. "My Daddy's a hunter you know!"

Again, the figure chuckles. "Rory Williams, already such a fighter."

"How do you know my name?" Rory asks, curiously.

"Oh, I know a lot about you, kiddo." The figure moves and Rory sees a pair of wings and the wrapper of a chocolate bar.

He swallows, "Why are you here?"

"Ha. Well, technically I'm not. I'm not supposed to be but I like you and one day you're going to be very important. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about."

Rory snorts, "How would you know that?"

"Oh, I know everything. Well, not _everything. _But quite a bit. I've been around a lot."

Rory cocks his head, "Are you from the future?" (He read that in a comic book somewhere).

The figure nods, "In a manner of speaking."

Rory surveys the figure thoughtfully. "I don't believe you," he says eventually. "Time travel is impossible. You could just be a monster trying to kill me!" he lifts the sword up again.

The figure raises his arms, "Whoa, whoa there kid." He chuckles, "You don't wanna do that. Anyway, I can prove it. Tomorrow your father's going to come early and take you on holiday for the whole summer. And you'll the most important person in your life. You'll do great things, kid."

Rory opens his mouth to ask more questions but in flurry of wing beats and a gush of wind the figure is gone.

The next morning his dad comes to fetch him from school (which he never does) and leads him out to an already packed car. It's only June, school isn't over yet but dad doesn't seem to care about that.

"We're going to America, Rory." He says as they drive. "Won't that be fun?"

A boy in Rory's class went to America last year, to Disney Land. Somehow Rory doesn't think that's where they're headed.

As they leave Leadworth dad stops briefly to drop in on a friend, Rory waits outside and watches as a family with a redheaded little girl moves in next door to dad's friend. The girl pauses and looks at him, Rory smiles because she's beautiful, honestly, she is. But she glares.

"Amelia," her mother scolds in a thick Scottish accent. "Be polite."

Rory smiles and shakes his head but before he can talk to _Amelia _his father hurries out of the house. "Come on, Rory." He says.

Rory clambers into the car and watches Amelia from the window as they drive away.


	2. Sam

_**Authors Note:**_ Should probably have done this in chapter one but oh well! I've played around with Sam and Dean's ages in this story and I'll probably play around with canon events of both SPN and DW but not by much. Also, I'm not _entirely _sure where I'm going with this I have a basic idea but not anything clear so forgive me if updates are a little slow. And finally this story may get slashy and if it does it'll most likely be Sam/Rory (idk guys. I really don't.) And if it does there might be some Amy/Dean (although I'm a hardcore Dean/Cas/Gabriel girl.) SO WE SHALL SEE. But on with the story. Reviewer replies below.

Short chapter this time because little!Sam is hard to write and he's been explored pretty thoroughly on the show.

**Kansas, 1995.**

Sam's always known he was different.

Not just because his Dad's a hunter and his Mom died in an inferno on his nursery ceiling. Those things happened to Dean too and while Dean isn't exactly the definition of a normal human being he still fits in a hell of a lot more then Sam.

It's the same in every school they go to. Within a few hours Dean will have surrounded himself with girls and friends, even though he doesn't want any. And Sam will be that quiet kid, smaller than everyone but smarter, sat at the back of the classroom hoping the bullies don't notice him. It's not all bad. He does make a few friends here and there but even with them he doesn't fit in.

He doesn't fit in with dad and Dean either. He never has. He's just not 'cut from the same cloth' as someone once said. But it's not just that.

There's something in him that makes him different. He can feel it. Pounding through his veins, searing, burning away at him. It's dark and _wrong_, whatever it is. _So wrong._ In his dreams it calls to him, tries to drag him away. He feels it sometimes when he meets certain people, like a spark underneath his skin. It's like a monster in his stomach, clawing away at him, clambering upwards towards his brain.

If he thinks about it too much he's sure he can feel it like battery acid corroding his soul.

He tried to talk about it with Bobby once, he'd always felt close to Bobby. But Bobby hadn't understood. He'd just smiled tenderly and ruffled Sam's hair. He'd thought Sam felt guilty about his mom's death. Thought he somehow felt to blame. And he did, a little, but that wasn't it.

So he's started trying not to think about it.

It's hard though. Especially at times like these.

They're at an airport back in Kansas; his Dad got a call from a friend in the middle of the night and they drove for eight hours straight to get here. They've been waiting an hour for Dad's friend from England. Sam's sitting on top of the car watching a group of kids playing soccer. They look to be around his age. They don't know each other, Sam watched them all meet. Sam watched as one kid kicking a ball around became seven playing together.

He envies them. He's only 8 but he feels so much older. He wishes he could play around with some kids he just met but he can't because all he can think about is how one of them might be a ghoul or a vampire or a werewolf or _something._

And then there's the monster inside him. He doesn't trust it with anyone.

He sighs. He's about to jump down and wander off to find a bookshop or something because he's been sitting outside in the dusty, summer sun for far too long and he's bored. But then he spots his dad and Dean and a tall, gangly man with jet black hair coming towards him.

He jumps down and heads to greet them.

"Sam, this is Arthur Williams, he's a hunter." His dad says as if Sam didn't already know.

Arthur extends a hand, "Pleased to meet you, Sam." He says politely.

Sam shakes it and Arthur steps back to reveal the short boy with dirty blonde hair and soft blue eyes that Sam hadn't even noticed. "This is my son, Rory." Arthur says, pushing Rory forwards.

Rory is quite clearly terrified of everyone here and Sam doesn't blame him. He looks to be about six, maybe less and he's just been flown half way across the world to meet up with complete strangers. He's pretending he isn't though; his fists are clenched at his sides to hide the slight tremor running through him, his bottom lip is caught firmly between his teeth but he's trying to make it look defiant rather than nervous and Sam smiles.

He holds out his hand to the boy, "I'm Sam Winchester, nice to meet you."

Rory smiles cautiously, "Rory Williams." He says, accepting Sam's hand.

After an hour sat in the back of the Impala together it feels like they've known each other forever. And Sam doesn't realise until much later, when they're in the shared motel room as he's falling asleep to the sound of Dean's snores and Rory muttering to himself that when he took Rory's hand the monster stayed quiet.

**Reviewers: **Thank you both for reviewing! ^_^ Reviews make for faster updates may even update again later today. Yes, it is in the reboot universe and yes Gabriel (he's like my fav SPN character so expect much much more Gabe! YAY) He has a very important role. :D


	3. The Angel on Your Shoulder

**AN: Apologies for the awful writing of this part it's sort of stitched together badly! Also. Guys please review, even if it's just to say you like the story xD I need concrit, flames, anything! **

Rory wakes up in the motel room to the flutter of wing beats. Sam and Dean are snoring in the beds next to him. He sits up and smiles a little, tonight his visitor isn't standing in the shadows.

He's a short man, shorter than Rory would have guessed for a time travelling, fortune telling, winged thingy. He looks disappointingly normal except for the slight glint of gold in his brown hair that matches his eye colour perfectly. Today he's chewing on strawberry laces rather than chocolate.

"Believe me now, kiddo?" he smirks.

Rory nods and crawls across the bed towards him. "How come I can't see your wings today?"

His eyebrows shot up and he looks at Rory in surprise, "You can see my wings?"

Rory frowns, "Yeah, in the shadows."

He smiles softly to himself, "That's interesting. Very interesting."

Rory's about to ask why but something about the stranger tells him he'll never get a straight answer so instead he settles for; "You're an angel, right?" he asks. "My mum used to tell me about you guys and I couldn't find anything else in my dad's journal."

"Gabriel," he says, smiling. "Though I haven't really been an angel lately." He adds, "More of a trickster."

Rory's eyes narrow. His mum told him once about a trickster she and his dad met in Ireland; she said they were monsters that killed people.

As if reading his mind Gabriel chuckled, "Oh yeah, so I kill a few people here and there, big deal. That's life kid; some people don't deserve to live."

Rory sits up straighter, "No one deserves to die, though. No one's fully evil."

Gabriel smiles at the child. He doesn't usually like the people his Father earmark for great destinies but this kid...this kid's alright. He glances away from him for a moment and looks at Sam and Dean, curled up asleep, no idea they're special. He wishes he could tell them, warn them, maybe he could stop the apocalypse then...Maybe.

When he looks back at Rory the kid's watching him with his head cocked slightly to the side. "Sam and Dean are they special too?" he asks, softly.

Gabriel nods, "But you can't tell them about me, okay?"

"You're not gonna tell me why I'm important, are you?"

Gabriel laughs again, "You learn fast, kiddo."

Rory smiles again and stands up on the bed, making him slightly taller than the angel. "Then why are you here?"

"It's my job to protect you," he replies, smiling at the kid. "So I'm just checking in on you."

Rory seems to contemplate this for a few moments before he sits back down on the end of the bed. He looks up at Gabriel, cautiously, "So you'll come see me, again? You'll keep me safe?"

"I'll do my best. I'll be the angel on your shoulder."

Rory's expression brightens a bit and Gabriel frowns a little, "Okay, well I better be going, kiddo."

Rory smiles, "Good night, Gabriel."

"Good night, Rory."

He's just about to fly away when Rory cries, "Wait! You said I'd meet someone important today. But I met two people. Sam and Amelia. Which one is it?"

Gabriel winks at him and vanishes with giggle in a flutter of feathers.

* * *

><p>That summer is both the best and worst Rory's ever had.<p>

It's the best because he has Sam and Dean and for once he feels like part of a family, not just the odd kid, son of the crazy guy.

Dean treats him like a little brother; he's cocky and teasing and pretends he hates him. But there was that one time where Rory almost got attacked by a demon possessing a maid at the motel and Dean went mad and shot the maid almost ten times. His dad's far more relaxed here, he even smiles once or twice and once (and Rory almost has a heart attack) his dad actually _hugs _him and tells him he's proud of him. John is gruff but like Dean he seems to think of Rory as a Winchester and he even tries to teach him a little about cars (with Dean's help, of course).

And Sam? Sam becomes Rory's best friend and by the end of the summer Rory's pretty sure that Gabriel meant Sam rather than Amy.

But it's hard. They move every week and most of the time he and the Winchester brothers are left holed up in some motel room waiting for their father's to return. But it's still better than lying awake in Leadworth waiting for his father to come back either stinking of alcohol or dripping with blood.

Gabriel pops in now and then, always with sweets, occasionally sharing them and though he never tells Rory anything useful Rory starts staying up later in the hope of hearing that gentle flutter of wing beats.

When it's time for them to go back to England Sam half jokingly begs to come with them. John and Arthur laugh and Dean makes a few jokes about England, but Rory quietly wishes he could. Then he hugs Sam as tight as he can and writes down his address; Rory won't be able to write back since the Winchesters move so often but it's still something.

When they're on the plane his Dad tells him that they'll go back next summer and Rory doesn't feel so bad.

* * *

><p>After his summer with the Winchester's Leadworth seems dull, until he meets Amelia Pond again.<p>

She strides into his life one boring school day with her fiery red hair and determined green eyes and asks him to play (well she sort of demands it but Rory says yes anyway). After a week Rory's less sure it was Sam Gabriel meant. Amy is _fascinating. _She's determined and bossy and clever and imaginative and God, she's beautiful.

After a few weeks Amy tells him about her Raggedy Doctor and his magic blue box; Rory laughs and tells her about Gabriel. And Amy looks at him like he's insane and says, "Don't be silly. Angels don't exist, Rory."

Rory doesn't argue because she didn't believe him about his Dad being a hunter and he still has an Indian burn on his arm from the last time he refused to play Romans with her (she always had him executed!) And when he gets home he searches his Father's journal for any mention of Amy's doctor, he doesn't find much apart from a small sketch of a blue police box with a question mark beside it.

He asks Gabriel about it and he just smiles and says, "You'll soon find out, kiddo."

Gabriel pops up every few weeks and occasionally tells him about something that'll happen the next day just to keep it interesting. But mostly he just sits with Rory and tells him stories until his Dad drags himself through the front door. If Rory didn't know better he'd say Gabriel actually _liked _him. But Gabriel likes to remind Rory that he's only there because he has to be.


	4. It's in the Mouth, it's in the Blood

**AN: **this chapter has mild slash in it so if you don't like it click away now! But don't get too upset there's Amy/Rory too. And Mels. It's another stitched together chapter sort of filler till we get to the good stuffs. And it's longer to commiserate the fact that actually finished one of my essays before the deadline. CELEBRATE GUYS. Chapter title is from Skin & Bones by Mirah and has no significance. Mwah.

Rory and his dad start going to visit the Winchester's every summer. His dad says it's because he can't stand being in Leadworth, where his wife lived and died, all year but Rory's not stupid. He knows Arthur and John are hunting something, something important. Sam and Dean know it too; Dean thinks they're looking for the demon that killed Mary Winchester and Rory can see why John would be searching out that demon but he doesn't get why his dad would be so obsessed with it as well.

Rory's mum wasn't killed by a demon. She was sick. Right?

He doesn't bother asking Gabriel. He's given up trying to get useful information from the archangel; all he gets back are grins and winks. And occasionally he gets a chocolate bar or sweet for his efforts. But he never gets any answers.

He still doesn't know if Gabriel meant Sam or Amy and he still doesn't know why he's important. Or why they're important. All he knows is that they both mean the world to him and he's not sure if he could ever choose between them.

He has his first kiss with Amy when they're nine. But he's not sure if it really counts.

It happens in the Easter holidays; Amy is a bridesmaid at her aunts wedding and for a whole week afterwards she and Mels are obsessed with weddings. They make him watch soppy romance movies and attend the weddings of Amy's toys and for a kid who performs first aid on his father almost nightly and has been hunting monsters since he was six these aren't very exciting past times.

Then Mels comes up with the bright idea that Amy and Rory should get married. Amy laughs and says that the only boy she'd ever marry is the Raggedy Doctor and Mels smiles in that way she does that makes Rory think she knows far more then she should and says, "Well Rory can be the Doctor."

And that's how, on a chilly spring morning, Rory finds himself wearing an oversized blue shirt, baggy trousers, a wonky tie and converse and standing before Amy wearing her mother's wedding dress which drowns her. Mels is the vicar and instead of the bible she has Amy's copy of Pandora's Box and she's making it up as she goes along. Instead of the Wedding March playing they've stolen Amy's dad's tape deck and have the Macarena (Amy's favourite) on repeat. Amy's toys are the sitting in their makeshift pews and for some reason all Rory can think about is that he could never get married in real life if Sam wasn't there.

Then Mels says, "You may now kiss the bride."

And Rory leans forward awkwardly and Amy scrunches her face up in disgust and says, "Only 'cos you're pretending to be the doctor, yeah?" (Which hurts more than Rory would care to admit) and she leans forward and presses her soft lips to his.

Mels applauds and announces gleefully, "Mr and Mrs Pond!"

As they grow up together Rory starts to think he's half in love with Amy Pond.

He knows Amy will never love him though; he's still just that quiet, timid kid to her. Amy and Mels get in trouble all the time at school and the closest Rory comes to getting in trouble is when his Dad comes home too hurt to be left alone or when he takes Rory on a hunt with him. At first he got in trouble because his Dad never turned up to parents evening but Rory soon becomes an expert at excuse making.

And he knows that he could never drag her into the world of hunting. It's too dangerous, too violent. He's considered telling her about what his Dad does but he's never got up the courage. He couldn't even tell her that his mum was dead. She only found out by asking why Rory was always home alone on a rare visit to his house. (Rory didn't like her coming to his; he liked keeping her separate from his other life). Mels seemed to know already for some reason and Rory doesn't question it.

So he keeps quiet about it and plays along with her Raggedy Doctor just to see her smile.

The problem is that he's pretty sure he's half in love with Sam Winchester as well. And he knows that's wrong. Not because they're both boys. He doesn't think things like that matter. But because it's not right to be in love with two people at once.

When Rory's twelve Sam kisses him and Rory counts this as his first kiss.

They've always been close. Dean likes to tease them about it, the way Rory will lean on Sam when they're sitting down, the way Sam seems to touch Rory at every given opportunity, even if it's just a pat on the back or a ruffling his hair.

That summer Sam's fourteen and Rory knows he's unhappy. He argues with John and Dean all the time so John likes to find excuses for Sam and Rory to do the research on their own. Usually John or Arthur or Dean will stay nearby while the other two do the legwork. It's a good system and it works and keeps everyone (mostly) happy.

Tonight they're researching a string of murders in a small town in Illinois and Arthur's passed out in the room next to them. It's been a long night and they still can't find anything that looks like a potential suspect in the murders.

Rory's watching Sam flick through the pages of a book Bobby told them to find (they had to steal it from a museum two towns over). He watches Sam brush his hair out of his green eyes and pretends it doesn't make his heart skip a beat.

Sam usually doesn't catch him staring, but today he does fortunately though Sam just assumes Rory's zoned out and he grins, "Yeah, time for a break I think."

Rory shakes himself and smiles and they end up watching some crappy vampire movie, at some point Sam puts his arm around Rory's shoulder. And Rory catches Sam staring.

Rory pauses the movie and turns to him, "What?"

Sam smiles, "Have you ever been kissed, Rory?"

Rory doesn't get time to answer before Sam kisses him.

They don't speak about it until almost a month later. And that's only because they're alone and bored and Rory hasn't been able to stop thinking about it.

The next summer Sam uses the 'b-word' and Rory starts to think that maybe he and Sam could work. He's sitting with his back to Sam's chest and Sam's cheek is pressed against his head.

"You can't tell my Dad," Rory mumbles. He knows Arthur feels about stuff like this.

He feels Sam smile, "As long as you don't tell Dean."

Rory laughs softly because he can't believe Sam thinks Dean doesn't know already.

"Do you think this'll work?" he asks.

Sam shrugs, "Why wouldn't it?"

_Because I'm still half in love with Amy, _Rory thinks.


	5. Flagstaff

**AN: **Reply to a review, to the superawesomefantastic Renart So I'm going to try and answer the review as best I can xD

The SPN canon hasn't happened yet and Gabriel hasn't lived through it yet he just knows these things 'cos he's an awesome archangel. All I've done is made the Winchester's a few years younger...I think. So we'll pretend the dates add up (We're also pretending that in the rebooted verse Rory still guarded the Pandorica.) Timey-wimey stuff hurts my brain :'(

But the key thing is: the main action of the story is gonna take place in early SPN season 7 and after DW season 6 so all of their respective bamfy adventures should have happened. Hopefully it'll make sense when it's written xD

*glares at those who haven't reviewed* I can see you out there ya'know. Hiding. Also I don't own the poem. Wish I did. But :(

* * *

><p><strong>Flagstaff, 2005.<strong>

Rory is the first one back to the motel room; Arthur has stopped off at a bar. They've just killed off a vampire nest that's been preying on the town for almost a year and as Rory walks back he wonders if anyone will even notice the difference. Some part of him wants recognition, wants the people he's walking past to know that he's just saved their lives but he thinks that's the part that Amy's turned into the Doctor.

He hasn't told Amy about Sam. Or Dean. Or John. Or hunting. He doesn't think he ever will. She thinks he goes to summer school or something and he hasn't corrected her. She's interested in Jeff now anyway. Jeff with his perfect body and empty brain. "At least he's _interesting,"_ he'd heard her mutter to Mels one lesson.

Sometimes he wonders what Amy would say if she knew he spent his summers fighting monsters with his _boyfriend_. It still sounds odd. Clunky. Wrong somehow. He loves Sam, he truly does. But _boyfriend_ just sounds wrong.

He tried to explain why to Gabriel once and the angel had chuckled and said something about intertwined destinies often leading to "profound bonds." Then he'd mocked Rory's taste in men and vanished in a gush of wind.

It doesn't really matter anyway. He's got Sam. And that's all that really matters, right?

He hears them the Winchester's long before they come in.

"_No, Sam," _John's saying. "You and Rory are staying _here._"

"No Dad I'm not a little kid anymore! You can't keep treating me like this! This is bullshit!"

"Sammy, watch your mouth," Dean barks.

"Sam, I am your father and you _will_ listen to me!"

The motel door is flung open and Sam storms in, eyes full of angry tears. "I _hate _you! I hate this family! I wish I could just leave!" he stomps passed Rory and slams the bathroom door. Dean rolls his eyes.

"Hi Rory," John says, running a hand tiredly through his hair. "Where's your father?"

"He stopped off at a bar."

"Okay, okay. I've found something interesting," he says to Rory. "Could be dangerous though, so you and Sam are staying here while we check it out, okay?"

Rory nods and John sets about packing. Just as he's about to leave he turns as Dean gets up to follow him and says, "Dean, you're staying here."

Dean gapes at him, "_What_? Sam's _17_. He can look after himself, they don't need babysitting!"

John silences him with a look and Dean doesn't argue. Dean never argues.

"Fine," Dean mumbles dejectedly, throwing himself dramatically onto his bed.

Rory snorts, the Winchesters are so melodramatic. John shakes his head and leaves without a word.

Sam comes out of the bathroom eventually and sits on the floor refusing to talk to anyone, while Dean and Rory argue over what to watch. Sam's been having a rough year and all Rory wants is to hug him but Dean's there and it'll probably just make things worse.

Dean knows. He probably knew before they did. About a week after the kiss he pulled Rory aside and told him that if he ever hurt Sam he'd regret it. Then five minutes later Dean came back and told Rory that if Sam ever hurt _him_ he'd regret it too. The trouble is that Sam doesn't know that Dean knows. And Dean would like to keep it that way.

So Rory has to sit on his hands and wait for Dean to leave, which he inevitably does. He stands up and pulls his boots on and says, "Well not that babysitting you two isn't a world of fun but I think I'm gonna go and check out that bar Arthur found. I'll be back in an hour, don't move."

As soon as he leaves Sam clambers onto the bed to Rory. "I _hate_ them," he says, voice quivering. "I wish I wasn't a Winchester sometimes."

Rory hums, "Well at least your Dad pays attention to you. I might as well be a complete stranger to my Dad."

Sam makes a sympathetic noise and then he says, "Will you be a hunter when you grow up, Ror?"

Rory blinks. He's never really thought about it. He'd always just assumed... "I suppose I will be, yeah. I mean, we sort of have to don't we?"

"Yeah, I guess," Sam murmurs in agreement. "I don't want to be, though." He adds quietly.

Rory's not sure anyone _wants _to be a hunter. I mean honestly, who would? He doesn't say that though, instead he says, "Well what do you want to be?"

Sam laughs slightly, "A lawyer. I want to be a lawyer."

Rory smiles, "You'd make a good lawyer."

"What would you be? If you weren't a hunter?"

"A doctor," Rory replies without quite knowing why.

Sam laughs again, "Imagine us, me and you, a doctor and a lawyer!"

And suddenly Rory's not so sure it's so farfetched. Why can't they be whatever they want? Sam's smart enough to be a lawyer and John will always have Dean. And Rory's pretty sure that if he left home his father would only find out when he came home injured and found no one to patch him up. If he and Sam weren't hunters would it really be so different?

"Why can't we be?" he says.

Sam stops laughing and looks at him, really looks. His eyes sweep over every inch of Rory's face, calculating, searching for something. "Would you leave with me?" he asks. "Right now. We could go right now Rory."

Rory's a little taken aback. If they run off now Dean will get in trouble. "Where would we go?" he asks quietly.

"Anywhere!" Sam yells, leaping off the bed. "Don't you see, Ror? We could go _anywhere_. Do anything. We're smart enough, right? We know how to get money, food, shelter. We could leave right now and we'd be fine."

Rory starts to smile. They _could _go anywhere. There'd be no Arthur disappointed to see him. No Amy and her Raggedy Doctor to mess up his head. They wouldn't have to hunt. They could get normal, _simple_ lives, no destinies. Just him and Sam and whatever they wanted.

"Let's go."

* * *

><p>They found the place in less than an hour.<p>

It was a low house, empty, looked to be a student's. The only occupant was Bones the dog and his obscenely filled food bowl. The calendar on the fridge told them that whoever lived there was in Australia for a month. Every now and then someone came to feed Bones but it was easy enough to hide from them.

And they were alone for two weeks. And it was wonderful.

Rory is sprawled out in front of the TV with Bones, Sam is on the couch reading a book poems. Sam looks so much happier now Rory doesn't know why they didn't think of this earlier. He smiles more, he laughs a lot and louder and he's so much more relaxed. And Rory hasn't worried about his dad or Amy in over a week.

It's paradise.

"Hey listen to this one," Sam says and Rory rolls over to look at him, turning the volume down low. "It's really creepy: _One fine day in the middle of the night, two dead boys got up to fight. Back to back they faced each other, pulled out their swords and shot each other. A deaf policeman heard the noise and came and killed those two dead boys._"

Rory smiles, scratching Bones' ear, "That's really cool."

"I know, right?" Sam laughs, snapping the book shut. "I'm gonna go get us some dinner." He says standing and kissing Rory on the cheek. "See you in a bit."

As soon as Sam leaves Rory hears a gentle flutter of wings. He hasn't Gabriel since they left the motel so he turns smiling widely only to find the archangel standing grim faced and missing his usual chocolate bar.

"What's wrong?" Rory asks, immediately.

"You and Sam," Gabriel replies. "You need to go back."

"No." Rory doesn't even have to think about it. "I'm happy here. He's happy here. Why should we go back to being miserable?"

Gabriel looks truly sympathetic. "Sorry kiddo, I really am, but you can't run from destiny."

"Why not?" Rory replies petulantly. "You can't _make _us go back. You won't."

Gabriel sighs, "Oh, Rory. I wish I could let you and Sammy live out your happy little dream here, I really do. But I can't. And no, I can't do anything to make you go back; but what about your father?"

"What about him?" Rory spits bitterly.

"Believe it or not he does care. He blames himself, you know? He'll start putting himself in danger. And what about Amy and Mels? Can you really go your whole life without seeing them? What'll they think? And Dean and John, they're pretty much your family. Imagine how worried John is, how upset Dean is. What do you think they think? Two hunter's kids go missing? It doesn't usually end well does it?"

Rory tries his best to think of an excuse for everything but he can't and he knows Gabriel's right so he sighs, dropping back to the floor. "But why can't we just be happy?"

Gabriel smiles kindly and puts a hand on Rory's shoulder, "Maybe you have to be unhappy for just a little longer. Just till you save the world and make everyone else happy."

"So I'm miserable just so everyone else can be happy?"

The angel chuckles, "Well when you put it like that..."

"If we go back will everything be okay? Just for a bit, you know." Rory asks softly.

Gabriel doesn't answer.

But Rory knows Gabriel's right and when Sam returns half an hour later with pizza and an ear splitting grin he's met with an armful of Rory and a mumble of, "We have to go back..."

* * *

><p>Dean answers the phone on the first ring. "Yes, who is this?" he demands.<p>

"Dean? It's me. It's Rory."

The noise Dean makes isn't human.

It takes Dean and John twenty minutes to get to Sam and Rory. Dean's out of the car first and he greets them both with a hit and then a relieved hug all the while shouting, "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?"

And then John gets out and Sam flinches away, they're all expecting violence but instead John strides right up to Sam and hugs him tight. "I thought you were dead." He says. "I thought you were _dead_."

Sam crumbles. "Sorry dad," he whispers, "Sorry. I'm sorry."

When John finally pulls away from Sam he hugs Rory and says, "Now we've just got to find your father."


	6. Not Today

**AN: **after this chapter updates may be coming slower for two reasons: 1. I've had an idea for a Harry Potter fic that has eaten my brain. And 2. The next two chapters may require rewatches and after those two I haven't planned out much :') But we'll see. 'Not today' is taken from Game of Thrones. Me#lacking original ideas since '92.

Also I am in an eternal pit of sadness because of Bobby. First Gabriel, then Cas, now Bobby. _WHY SUPERNATURAL WHY? _Ahem.

THINGS ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN THIS CHAPTER THOUGH. Be excited guys. I am. Italics are a flashback from when Rory is ten. Also, angst like whoa. LONGEST ONE YET.

* * *

><p>"<em>Now we just need to find your father."<em>

Rory's not sure why but those words make his blood run cold. Arthur's gone missing before and he's always crawled back again, stinking of booze and blood. Once when Rory was eleven he vanished for almost two months and Rory didn't worry then (well he did worry that someone would call Social Services but that's about it.)

"He's not with you guys?" he asks shakily.

John looks surprised at his concern and he pats Rory reassuringly on the soldier, "Don't worry Rory, he always turns up okay in the end, you know that."

Rory nods and Sam drapes his arm comfortingly round his shoulders as they follow Dean and John back to the Impala. "He'll be okay, Ror. You know he will," Sam says gently.

In the car John tells them that he hasn't seen Arthur for almost a week and even though he's been missing for a lot longer than that before Rory's stomach churns. It almost too perfect.

"_He blames himself, you know? He'll start putting himself in danger."_ Gabriel had said. Gabriel had known. Of course he had. That's why he'd looked so guilty, so sympathetic.

Rory's never felt so angry in his life.

When they find a motel Dean heads off to find a bar and John asks to speak with Sam alone, which just what Rory wants. He's never summoned Gabriel before, he doesn't even know how, but he's damn sure going to try. He's never found anything on angels in any of Bobby's books and the one time he asked Bobby laughed at him and said, "Rory don't be an idjit."

He packs his rucksack and walks out into the forest behind the motel. When he gets as far as he can while still seeing the motel lights he stops. He's not sure what to do so he tries the first thing he can think of.

"_Gabriel!" _he yells.

He's surprised when the angel appears almost instantly. "Rory," he greets, through a mouthful of liquorice. "You know I do have other things to be doing, kiddo."

Rory doesn't think twice, he launches himself at the angel and pins him against the nearest tree. Rory's gotten tall in the past year, far taller than Gabriel.

"Whoa there big boy," Gabriel chokes, surprised. "Not that I don't love it when people are forward but-"

Rory cuts him off, "Where is he?" he demands.

Gabriel gives him a blank look. "Where's who?"

Rory snarls and shakes Gabriel angrily, "You know who! Now _talk_."

Gabriel's eyes narrow and he pushes Rory away as though batting away a fly. "Be careful, _boy,_" Gabriel says, golden eyes flashing. "Remember who you're talking too."

"Oh right," Rory snaps, "'Cos you're the fucking poster boy of Heaven's glory." Gabriel's told him about being Loki and Rory knows about Loki and not only from _Marvel _comics.

Gabriel takes a step forward, his eyes full of wrath and Rory stands his ground, fists clenched, teeth gritted. "No more lies, Gabriel. Tell me where he is. I know you know." Rory says firmly.

Gabriel pauses a few feet away from him and surveys him. So determined. _No more lies, Gabriel. _The last person who said that to him was his brother. He closes his eyes and his shoulders slump in defeat. He doesn't want to tell Rory this. He wanted Rory to stay with the Winchesters and not worry about his wayward father. He wanted to save Rory from this. But he never does anything right.

"I know where your father is," he says quietly. "But I want you to stay here."

Rory pulls out a map from his rucksack and spreads it out on the forest floor. "You know I won't," he says.

Gabriel nods. "He's here, Rory." He says, pointing out an abandoned holiday camp. He sighs. "I could make you stay."

Rory's already packing up the map. "You wouldn't." He replies with such certainty that Gabriel smiles despite himself. It's nice to be trusted again. When the map is safely tucked away he looks back up at Gabriel again, "Is he hurt?"

Gabriel doesn't reply. "It'll be dangerous." He says instead then he smiles. "Rory, what do we say to death?"

For a moment Rory looks confused then he smiles slowly as the memory returns. He nods and Gabriel vanishes as Rory turns to head back to the motel.

* * *

><p><em>It's dark in here. It's dark and so, so cold. <em>

_He tries calling out for Sam, Dean, John, even his Dad. But his voice won't work. Can't work. All that comes out are whimpers._

_It's dark and cold and he's alone._

When he makes it panting back to the motel he's met by Sam, "Rory! Thank God! We were looking for you! Dean caught a demon, we know where your dad is, we have to go _now!_"

_He's trying hard not to cry when he hears the creature return. A breath of wind rustling the skeletal branches that surround him, the branches that form his cage. The fog that spreads around the cave and the shadows that form the leafy outline of man._

John drives full out and they reach the camp in half an hour. Dean meets them there.

"The place is swarming with demons, I counted at least ten. This is a trap, Dad." He says grimly.

John nods, "I know, Dean."

_The creature passes by him and goes to the cage beside his, a little girl lies comatose in it. Pale as death. He knows her name from the missing posters. Rory closes his eyes and prays as the Anna starts to scream. _

"Stay here," John tells him. "You're too much of a risk here Rory, I can't lose both of you."

Rory knows there's no point in arguing, once John Winchester's made a decision its final. So he doesn't argue. He grabs Dean's gun and pushes John out of the way and before they've processed what's happened Rory's already gone.

_When Anna stops screaming it leaves. Wafting past Rory's cage in a gust and vanishing._

_The Erl-King. That's its name. A creature that lives in forests and preys on children. He and Sam were meant to be safe. Safe at Bobby's but it followed them and Rory's not sure how but it got him. And now he's gonna die. _

_He asked Gabriel about death once. Being an angel he should have known about it._

"_Do you think about death a lot, Rory?" the angel had asked, watching him closely._

_Rory looked down; there was no point in lying to Gabriel. "Yes," he said in a shaky voice. "I want to know what it's like. You know, because of mum and well...hunters don't live very long."_

The demons are concentrated in one of the camp buildings, the old canteen. Rory's managed to sneak past all the demons he's seen so far and something in him knows this is a trap. It shouldn't have been so easy, they _let _him pass.

He peers in through a dusty, cracked window. His father's lying spread-eagled on the floor, covered in blood. Rory hopes its demon blood.

A demon stands beside him, waiting for something.

_Gabriel had cocked his head to the side slightly, "You don't think you're going to live very long?"_

_Rory shook his head, "Hunters never do, do they?"_

_Gabriel had moved forwards and placed a hand gently on Rory's shoulder. It was the first time the angel had touched him. "Are you scared of death Rory Williams?"_

There are two demons guarding the front door and another one at the back.

He clambers through a window in a side room and loads the rifle. Rory doesn't like killing things, even demons, but he'll make an exception this time.

He bursts into the hall and in seconds the demon from the back door, a pretty teenage girl with black braids and coffee-cream skin, is running at him.

_Rory looked up at Gabriel and nodded. _

_Gabriel had smiled kindly, "There's only one thing we say to death, Rory. Not today."_

_Rory takes a steadying breath and sits up straighter in his branch-cage. "Not today."_

"Not today," Rory whispers and he pulls the trigger.

The demon leaves the girl in a torrent of black smoke and Rory walks by without a backwards glance. He reaches the main hall, where his father is, and pauses.

If he throws opens these doors the demon will probably kill him, not to mention the fact that his father is probably dead already.

He takes a steadying breath and throws open the doors.

_It takes him some time but Rory manages to untie the wire holding the branches together and climb out of the cage. His fingers are shredded and he rips off the bottom of his shirt and bandages them as best he can. _

_He could leave now and run away and he'd be fine. He'd be safe. He doubts the Erl-King will bother following him. But he can't do that. He can't let any other kids die._

_And there's only one way to kill the Erl-King._

In a matter of seconds Rory is thrown against the wall, pinned by the demon. His rifle clatters to the floor and his throat closes.

"Rory Williams," the demon says, turning slowly towards him. "You're scrawnier then I imagined."

The demon's eyes are yellow.

_Rory creeps through to the other caverns in the cave. Along the way he passes another missing child, Rikkon Elwood. Eight years old. The Erl-King likes company while he sleeps._

_The Erl-Kings bed chambers. The beast lies snoring on his bed of leaves with Rikkon cowering in the corner. The room is full of birds. _

_Birds that were once children if you believe the stories._

The demon approaches Rory and surveys him, "Hm. I would've expected you to be bigger, more impressive."

"Who are you? How do you know who I am?" Rory chokes.

"Oh, everyone knows who _you _are Rory. Well, not everyone." The demon grins, "That's what all this was about, you know. I just wanted to meet you. And I must say I'm pretty disappointed, kid."

Rory struggles against the demon's hold, "If you let me down you wouldn't be unimpressed." He spits.

_Rory shushes Rikkon and pushes him towards the exit before approaching the bed. If the Erl-King wakes up he'll kill Rory in a heartbeat and there'll be nothing Rory can do. The Erl-King only has a physical body when he sleeps; when he's awake he is conceptual, moulding himself to whatever form he chooses._

_But now he appears as an Elvin man with a long beard of branches and vines. _

_And Rory knows what to do._

The demon smirks and shakes his head, "Oh Rory, I'm not going to fight you. There'd be no point." He turns away from Rory, "I _had _wanted to stay and see Sammy but I suppose we can't all have what we want. The Winchester's are out there right now fighting my friends, I hope for your sake they make it through."

He snaps his fingers and Rory falls to the ground.

"Nice job with the Erl-King by the way," the demon says, "He even grossed me out."

_Rory eases the beard around the creatures throat, heart pounding and trembling. When it's done he pulls it tight._

_The Erl-Kings soulless, green eyes flicker open at last minute, but it's too late._

_The Erl-King goes limp._

Rory scrambles for the gun but the demon escapes in a torrent of black smoke and its body falls lifeless to the floor.

"Coward!" Rory calls after the smoke.

He crawls over to his father, "Dad, Dad please be okay." He begs.

_Rory and Rikkon wander through the forest for two days before they find a road. They're picked up almost immediately and taken to the police station._

_It's strange. The worlds still there, no different than when he left. But everything's different._

There's no pulse.

No pulse.

He tries CPR.

But he won't breathe.

"_BREATHE GODAMMIT!" _he cries, pounding his father's chest.

_To Rory's surprise his father picks him up._

_He runs through the doors and holds Rory so tight he can't breathe and all the while he's whispering, "Oh my God Rory. Oh my God I thought..."_

_Rory should be touched but all he can think is that he took for him to be kidnapped for his Dad to care._

* * *

><p>"Dad, please!" he sobs.<p>

But his father's still lifeless.

So Rory does the only thing he can think of, "_GABRIEL!" _

The angel appears instantly, his eyes wide and sorrowful. "Rory, I'm sorry."

"Heal him," Rory sniffs gazing up at the archangel, "Please. _Please _Gabriel, he's my only family."

"Oh kid, Rory I'm sorry," Gabriel says, dropping to his knees opposite Rory and putting one hand on his father's bloody chest. "I can't. This is a fixed point. It has to happen."

"No," Rory says desperately shaking his head. "No. He can't die, not today Gabriel, not today. Please."

"Rory..."

"Time can be rewritten," Rory says.

Gabriel blinks, "You sounded like..." then he shakes his head, "No, Rory. Not all time can be rewritten."

"_Bullshit_, Gabriel! You're an archangel! You can do this, I know you can! It's my fault. _Please _Gabriel."

"I can't Rory," the angel repeats, reaching to comfort him, but Rory flinches away.

"It's not fair! _Why?_" he cries.

Gabriel looks at Rory and his heartbreaks. This kid has been through so much and still has so much more to go through, he thinks. So Gabriel tells the truth. "After this you have to leave. You have to leave the Winchesters. Sam, Dean, John, all of them."

Rory's eyes go wide, "Wh-What? But they're my...Sam's my..."

"I know," Gabriel says, "I _know _Rory. I know what it feels like to leave your family behind. But you _have _to, Rory."

Rory sniffs, "But why does he have to die?"

"That's just it is kiddo," Gabriel says.

Rory's quiet for a few minutes and then,"I don't understand. I don't understand," he whimpers. "I don't _understand_."

This time when Gabriel reaches out Rory doesn't flinch away. "That's life, kid." Gabriel whispers as he holds Rory's shaking body. "That's life."

* * *

><p>When Sam bursts through the doors he finds Rory sitting by Arthur's body, eyes distant and unfocused.<p>

"He's dead Sam," he says in a broken, cracked voice that Sam barely recognises. "He's dead and it's my fault."


	7. Bruised

**AN: **Aye, this short chapter is the last Rory will be seeing of the Winchesters for quite some time. So it's kind of mushy. Sorry, ha. This is what happens when I stay up all night watching fluffy love films. Also thank you guys for all the favs and cyber cookies to the few reviewers I've gotten.

Also double sorry for all the accidental rhymes. I'm not sure what my brain is doing.

Title reference to 'Bruised' by Jacks Mannequin

* * *

><p>They burn Arthur's body and Rory clings to Sam. As they drive away in the Impala Rory watches as the world keeps turning. Strange; it seems as though it's ended, obviously the world didn't get the memo.<p>

John drives them all night and all day and when he finally picks a motel he leaves straight away. To drink or drive some more, none of them are sure. Dean leaves after a few moments, giving Sam a pointed look and patting Rory's shoulder as he goes by.

Rory hasn't said a word all day. He's standing in the middle of the room looking utterly lost.

As soon as Dean leaves Sam approaches him, "Rory," he says, cautiously.

They're treating him like a bomb about to explode, tiptoeing around him on eggshells, talking in hushed voices. Rory's head is a hurricane. He wants to scream and cry and laugh all at once and he's not sure what to do first.

"Rory," Sam repeats.

The words '_orphan' _and '_alone_' are chasing each other around Rory's brain, burning themselves into his soul. His fists are clenched and his nails are cutting into his palms. Another "Rory" and Sam has him in his arms, pressed against him. Rory tries not to crumble and Sam runs his hand through his hair and presses gentle kisses too his forehead.

Rory has to try four times before he can speak, "I'm...I'm an orphan, Sammy." He whispers into Sam's neck.

Sam nods, "It'll be okay, Ror. It'll be okay."

Rory balls his hands in Sam's shirt, "I've got no family." He mumbles.

Sam holds Rory tighter, "Yes you do, Rory. You've got me and Dean and Dad and Bobby and everyone. You'll always have a family Rory."

Rory goes rigid in Sam's arms. "I have to leave," he whispers. "I have to leave, Sam."

Sam pushes Rory back a bit and turns Rory's head up so he can meet his eyes, "_What?"_

* * *

><p>It takes Rory a while but he finally convinces Sam that he has to go back to Leadworth. He knows Sam understands. Sam knows him better then he knows himself.<p>

"I don't know how to live without you," Sam says quietly as they lie together in a tangle of limbs.

Rory lifts his head from Sam's chest and gazes into Sam's green eyes, "You make do okay when I'm not here usually."

Sam shakes his head, "No I don't. I argue with Dad and Dean all the time, worse than when you are here." He bends his head down to kiss Rory. "You keep me sane." His voice shakes slightly and it's almost enough to make Rory say he'll stay. "If you go...I don't think I'll be able to stay here."

"Then don't, Sammy. Leave." Rory says simply.

"What?" Sam whispers.

"Leave Sam, be a lawyer. You'd be a great one." Rory sits up. "Actually I want you to promise me you'll do it. Promise me you'll be a lawyer, or whatever else you want to be. Just promise me you'll be happy."

"I will," Sam says.

He takes a deep breath, "We'll be fine."

Sam nods and barely swallows as sob as Rory leans down and kisses him.

The next morning Sam convinces Dean to drive them to the airport and for once Dean doesn't argue with him. When they get there Dean hugs him (and wipes away not-tears from his eyes) before telling Rory not to die, which means "I love you and be safe" in Dean-speak.

And Sam hands him a phone number. "Only you have that number," Sam says. "I'll always have that phone, okay."

Rory takes it even though they both know he won't phone Sam, he can't. If he did he'd fly back in a heartbeat and never leave again.

Sam pulls him close. "Rory, I..."

Rory cuts him off, "I know." He whispers, "I do too."

* * *

><p>Rory gets back to a cold, empty house.<p>

He walks into the hallway and pauses as he passes his father's old room, "Gabriel?" he calls, hesitantly.

"I'm here," the angel says appearing before him in a flutter of wings.

"You'll look after him, right? You want let Sam die."

"I'll do my best kiddo."


	8. Catching Bullets in our Teeth

**A/N: **Okay, so a lot of this chapter takes place during season 5 of Doctor Who so it's been about 4/5 years since Rory's seen the Winchester's. And we're gonna pretend the dates match up and say that around this time season 4 of SPN is happening. Okay? I'm not happy with this chapter, it's all over the place and generally crappy but it's kind of important (I guess)

Also I edited Chapter 7, just added a bit of dialogue I'd somehow left out

I was thinking of doing a couple of oneshot fics that tie in with this one with Sam's/Amy's/Dean's point of view on things, any takers?

Title is from my current favourite song "Bullets" by Tunng. (Shamelessly pimping them out)

* * *

><p>The first thing Rory does when he gets back to Leadworth is take down all the photos and keepsakes he has of his time with the Winchester's. All the books and amulets and weapons and journals. He puts them all together in his fath- in the empty room downstairs and locks it. (He still wears an anti possession charm though and gives Amy and Mels one each, not that they know what the necklaces are) and he works to make his life as normal as possible.<p>

No one asks about his father. Arthur Williams had set up an account that automatically paid their bills each month and they didn't have any other family. It's scary at first, living on his own, but he manages and for the first few months Gabriel visits every other day.

For a while he isn't living: he's just surviving. Everything reminds of Sam or Dean or his dad, he drowns himself in his studies, he's decided to be a nurse. He'd love to be a doctor but he thinks he cares too much. He'd never be able to admit defeat. He falls back in love with Amy and ferociousness but there a moments when she'll do something or say something and he'll be reminded sharply of how they'll never be together. Or something will remind him of Sam and send him hurrying home to try not to fall apart in public.

But then, when he's eighteen, it happens. He's not sure how, but it happens.

It's Mels who starts it off, calls him Amy's Mr Perfect and Rory can see it happening and he's not sure if he's over Sam yet (or if he'll ever be) and he wants to leave before anything _does _happen but Amy's so perfect and his feet just won't move.

And then Amy says the word, "Gay." And Rory looks at her, horrified because for a moment he thinks that she knows about Sam. Which would mean she knows about hunting which would be _terrifying._ And on top of that he isn't gay. He just...He just likes people.

"I'm not gay." He says, bewildered.

It hurts when Amy scoffs and he leaves when Amy comes to _that _conclusion.

He's not expecting anything; in fact as he hurries home he _hopes _this is all a bad dream. Unfortunately his life is not that kind and he's not even half way down the street when Amy runs after him, "RORY!" she yells, "Rory, wait for me!"

He doesn't, but Amy catches up and falls into pace beside him anyway.

"So, uh, hi," she says nervously.

He's never seen her nervous before. "Hi."

She doesn't speak again until they get to his and he unlocks the door. She pauses in the door frame, "So, can I, um, come in?"

He nods and they end up sitting awkwardly together on Rory's bed.

"Do you really..." she begins. "You know...Like me and stuff?"

Rory looks up at her and smiles shyly, "Yes Amy, I like you and stuff."

"Good," she declares. "Because if you didn't I think I would have been a cat lady when I grew up."

Their life together is pretty normal, well, as normal as life can be when you're an ex-Hunter dating Amy Pond. Rory goes to nursing school and Amy becomes a kissogram (much to Rory's annoyance) but it's a flexible job and Amy's never been the most reliable of people. Mels gets arrested once or twice and he and Amy spend half their lives bailing her out. But it's normal. And it's just what Rory wants.

And then the coma patients start walking around and the Raggedy Doctor turns up and Rory's a lot more surprised that he exists then he should be (I mean werewolves and vampires exist, why shouldn't a slightly mad alien with a time travelling box exist as well?)

Rory dislikes him on principle. It's not because he's an alien and Rory's hunter brain is set to think anything nonhuman is bad and needs ganking right then and there. It's not because the Doctor is brave and clever and interesting and everything Rory wants to be.

It's the way Amy looks at him.

And the way Amy introduces Rory as her "sort of boyfriend."

Because Rory at some level gave up everything for Amy; he chose her over Sam. Gabriel said he had to leave, he never said he couldn't have any contact with them. Him and Sam could have worked, he knows they could have. But no, he picked Amy. And he doesn't regret it...much.

And then the Doctor disappears again and Rory's perversely happy about it because Amy's all his again. And then she brings up marriage. It's not subtle, Amy's never subtle. She demands he ask her to marry him on her next birthday and specifies everything except the ring.

He asks Gabriel for help finding an engagement ring and to Rory's complete surprise the angel actually brings him a nice one and ruffles his hair and says, "Amy's much better looking than Sam. Good on you, kiddo."

He's still mildly surprised when Amy says yes and squeals with glee at the ring he gives her. Rory starts he's dreaming. He's getting _married._ _Married._

He thinks about calling Sam. He even dials the number a few times but he always hangs up before it even rings. If he talks to Sam he thinks he'll crumble. So in his head he drafts Sam a letter he knows he'll never send.

The night before his Stag party Gabriel appears at the foot of his bed, grimfaced. Today Rory can see his wings spread behind him in a shadow, Gabriel only lets that happen when he's distracted.

"I've got bad news, kiddo." Gabriel says grimly.

Rory sits bolt upright. He'd made Gabriel promise not to tell him anything about the Winchester's lives because both of them knew that if something bad was happening Rory wouldn't be able to resist going to them. "Is it about Sam?" he asks immediately.

Gabriel makes a face, "Sort of-not really-yeah." He says. Rory raises an eyebrow and Gabriel continues. "There's a demon trying to start the apocalypse and your boyfriend and his mentally deficient brother are trying to stop it."

"The apocalypse?" Rory repeats slowly, wondering if he really _is_ dreaming.

Gabriel sighs, "Unfortunately yes. It's the beginning of the end Roronicus."

Rory draws his knees up to his chest, "I have to help them. I'll leave the day after the wedding."

Gabriel looks like he's about to argue but then he cocks his head, as though listening to something and vanishing.

* * *

><p>Rory's all set to leave and then the Doctor crashes his Stag do and he's in Venice and there are vampires. And Rory's annoyed that he's left all his hunting stuff back in Leadworth but then they aren't really vampires they're fish-alien-vampire things. And Amy and the Doctor act like children with a shiny new toy, they don't think about the fact that they could die. And Rory feels painfully like a third wheel.<p>

Then there's the Dream Lord and they're in Leadworth and Amy's pregnant and he's a doctor. But they're not really there, they're on the Tardis and Rory dies. But it's just a dream. And Amy chooses him and Rory's sure he'll die of happiness.

Then there human-lizard things that live under the earth and want the planet for themselves. And one of them is about to shoot the Doctor.

It's a split second decision.

If the Doctor dies Amy will be devastated. If the Doctor dies who'll save the universe? Rory's not stupid he knows the Doctor's of more value.

So he launches himself at the Doctor. _Not today,_ he thinks.

The bolt makes it feel like his insides are tearing themselves slowly to pieces and it hits him; he's dying and there's nothing and no one to save him.

And then he's a Roman and things get _really _confusing.

He guards a box for two thousand years, he learns countless languages, he sees the fall of Rome, the rise of the British Empire. He meets King Arthur; he meets an immortal man called Captain Jack Harkness, he meets pirates and smugglers and druids and highway men (who dress less flashy then Adam Ant). He meets hunters and vampires and werewolves and demons and even a few angels.

And he does it all for her.

Because she's all he's got and he knows there's nothing else that matters more.

He goes to see his grandmothers and grandfathers and watches mother and father grow up and fall in love. He watches Amy's parents meet and fall in love and move from Scotland. He tries to find Mels but he can't.

Gabriel doesn't visit once and Rory feels abandoned.

And then the Doctor comes back and they save the universe.

But then it's his wedding day and none of it happened and Rory decides hunting is a lot simpler then time travel.

* * *

><p><strong>AN cont: <strong>Ergh. I may rewrite this chapter later but right now I just want to get on with the story.


	9. Wings in One Hand, Lead in the Other

**AN: **As always thanks for the reviews! Gabriel is a bitch to write. Also this chapter makes little sense. I'm sorry guys. After this the main story line picks up so hopefully it'll stop being absolutely awful after this one. Title is from Map of the Falling Sky by Magnolia Electric Co.

* * *

><p>The Creature was awoken when the universe was rebooted. Gabriel had felt it. He'd felt the timelines realign, he'd felt the million little differences all throughout history. He'd been surprised that the Doctor had been able to do that.<p>

And then he'd felt It stirring.

A deep rumble that shook his grace to the core.

He'd gone to Its cage immediately.

It wouldn't escape yet, thankfully. They still have time. The cage is still strong.

And anyway, Gabriel has his brothers to worry about now. Lucifer's free; Michael is searching for his vessel. The whole world is about to end _again._

So Gabriel does what he does best and hides his head in the sand. He's still hidden to everyone important, only Rory knows who he really is. And he hopes it'll stay that way. But life has a game it likes to play called 'Screw-you-Gabriel.'

And then he spots the Winchesters after he kills some hothead with the Hulk and decides to try and speed the apocalypse up. He doesn't know who will win, all he knows is that this is what is _supposed _to happen. And hey, if Lucifer wins and destroys the world maybe he'll destroy the Creature while it's still caged.

He knows that somehow Rory will become important after this. Well, _more _important. But he hopes deep down within him (really, _really _deep down) that if the apocalypse goes as planned Rory won't be needed because godammit that kid has grown on him.

But it all goes wrong and somehow they work out who he really is. Gabriel is fuming. He likes the Winchesters, they have a sort endearing quality about them, but right then, standing in that flaming ring of holy oil, he hates them. He could go after them and force them to do what he wanted, but he won't. Instead as soon as the flames die down he vanishes and reappears in Leadworth.

* * *

><p>He finds Rory sitting in his father's old room, packing rock salt into shot gun rounds and trying to separate his memories into categories, <em>real or not<em>. Rory had 2000 years of memories in his head that never happened. He knows hundreds of languages, most of them dead and occasionally he finds himself lapsing into Latin accidently. Amy doesn't understand. She was asleep for all those years; but Rory was awake. Now picking through his memories is like trying to unravel two similarly coloured balls of twine that have become tangled. He has to look closely and think careful to tell what's real or not.

Since the apocalypse started Rory's taken up hunting again (only when Amy isn't looking obviously) demons and monsters have been popping up everywhere and too his knowledge Rory's the only hunter in the area. Though he'd never admit it Rory finds the thrill of a hunt comforting in some way. He spent 2000 years being a soldier and after the Doctor left he felt sort of useless.

He turns immediately when Gabriel appears, face anxious for news.

"They know who I am," Gabriel spits, throwing himself dramatically onto Arthur's old bed. "Your bloody boyfriend and his idiot brother."

Rory still blushes slightly when Gabriel calls Sam his boyfriend. "But they're okay, right?" he asks.

The archangel nods and rolls his eyes, "They gave me this stupid speech about how I need to stand up to my brothers. What crap! All that needs to happen is for them to submit to Michael and Lucifer. Then all of this will be over."

Rory glares at Gabriel. They've argued over this for months. "They won't submit, they shouldn't have to," he says curtly. "And besides, I think they're right."

Gabriel gapes at him and then vanishes in an angry flutter of wings.

Rory thinks about calling him back but he hears Amy returning.

He doesn't see Gabriel for another few weeks but he isn't worried. He knows Gabriel's okay. It's strange, there's a sort of connection between them. He can feel Gabriel scrabbling around. He wonders if Gabriel can feel what he's doing.

Gabriel appears pale faced and more distressed then Rory's ever seen him in the middle of the night. Rory's just got back from hunting a couple of demons in a nearby village and he's exhausted.

"I don't know what to do, Rory!" he appears almost silently, making Rory jump.

Rory looks up tiredly, but when he sees Gabriel's face his eyes widen. "What happened?"

"The _Gods_," Gabriel moans. "They're going to try and fight Lucifer. "

Rory stands up, "Do they have a chance?"

Gabriel looks at him as though he's just asked what colour the sky is. "No, of course they don't." He snaps, beginning to pace. "I don't know what to do." He repeats. "Kali's there."

Rory wrinkles his nose, "I thought you were done with her?"

Gabriel glares at him, "That's beside the point, Rory."

"Sorry, sorry," Rory mumbles, rubbing his eyes and sitting back down heavily in the chair. "You should stop them then."

"How?" the angel mutters.

"I don't know, Gabriel. You're an archangel, right? You've got to be able to do something."

Gabriel looks up at Rory and for the first time ever Rory sees a tempest of emotions swirling in the angel's golden eyes. He sits forwards and Gabriel asks quietly, "What if my brother's there? What if he gets there before me?"

A sudden thought strikes Rory, "Could you kill him, Gabriel? You could end this all!" _and Sam and Dean wouldn't have to_, he thinks.

Gabriel looks at him in horror, "I couldn't do that to my own _brother _Rory!"

Rory sighs again. It's getting tedious. Gabriel has steadfastly refused to involve himself in the apocalypse. He's told Rory that he's not on either side and at first Rory found it hard to believe that Gabriel would let Lucifer win. But the archangel refuses to do anything against his older brother even if that means he's letting the world get destroyed. Rory's found himself wishing the Doctor was there. Wishing he was with the Winchesters. Wishing Gabriel would stand up against his brothers.

Since his childhood Gabriel's been this larger than life figure, his guide, his guardian, _his_ angel. But seeing him now, trembling and running shaky hands through his hair Rory's seeing him for who he really is: a scared little brother, running away from his responsibilities and family. Right now he's not an all powerful archangel. He's just a frightened boy refusing to confront his family.

He knows that Gabriel wants him to validate his fear, because this isthe _devil _we're talking about here, he wants Rory to say its okay for him to run away. But Rory doesn't want to.

He makes a split second decision, "Gabriel you can't keep running away."

Gabriel's golden eyes meet his, "But Rory..." he begins.

"No, it's not right. You loved Kali and from you've told me you care quite a bit about some of the Norse Gods too. And I know that even though you won't admit it you care about Sam and Dean too," Rory says firmly. "The last thing you want is for Lucifer to win this thing. I know that. You know that. And I get it; it is really hard standing up to your family. I couldn't have done it. But you have to if you've ever cared about any of this." He finishes, gesturing around the room.

For a few moments Gabriel's silent then he draws a shaky breath. "You could be sending me to my death Roronicus." He says eventually, with a weak smile.

Rory smiles shakily back, "What do we say to death, Gabriel?"

Gabriel beams at him. "Not today, Rory. Not today."

And he vanishes in a flutter of feathers.

* * *

><p>It happens later that night. Rory awakes with a start in a cold sweat. <em>Something's happened to Gabriel. <em>He can't feel anything. There's no bond.

He untangles himself from Amy and almost runs to his Father's old room.

"Gabriel?" he calls shakily. "Gabriel?"

He never gets a reply.


	10. Skeletons

**AN:** I debated a lot over the content of this chapter since its pretty much ANGST. But oh well. This chapter also covers most of Doctor Who season 6 and most of SPN season 6. (Imagine the phone call takes place a few days/weeks after Sam jumps into the pit) Next chapter we are reunited with the Winchesters (woo!) and a certain someone. :D

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS I LOVE ALL OF YOU.

Yeah, also. Sorry the Doctor is so OOC. I CANNOT WRITE HIM AT ALL. Ergh. Title references the song Skeleton by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

* * *

><p>Rory finds the DVD a week after Gabriel's de- disappearance. He waits until Amy goes off to pick Mels up at the police station (again) before watching it. He presses play slightly apprehensively (the last time he was left a DVD by Gabriel it was less than appropriate) and is surprised when there's no porn, just Gabriel sitting in a room.<p>

He looks sad and happy and wise and Rory has to bite his lip because he doesn't quite trust himself not to cry.

"Hey Rory," Gabriel says in an overly cheery manner. "If you're watching this I'm dead; which kind of sucks. It also means that the only people who can stop the apocalypse are your Winchesters and I can only hope they succeed. If they don't...Well let's not think about that."

Then his expression turns serious, "Anyway, since I'm dead I won't be able to tell you about your destiny face to face but I thought I owed you an explanation. So here goes. You, Rory Williams, have a destiny beyond your adventures with the Doctor. I mean he'll be there but in the eleventh hour it's _you _who has to deliver the final blow, okay?"

Gabriel sits forward and runs a hand through his hair. "There's a creature, a creature older than anything. Older then my father, older death. It's a creature of pure chaos and destruction. Now at the moment it's safely trapped at the centre of the Earth, it was put there by my father but since your Doctor reset the universe the cage has been getting weaker. And it's going to escape. I don't know when but it's going to. And when it does_ you_ have to stop it. You and Sam."

"_What_?" Rory's head is spinning.

"And the worst part of this all is I have no idea how you're supposed to do that." Gabriel continues, looking apologetic. "I only hope that there's someone who does know."

Rory is dumbfounded and Gabriel sits back and smiles weakly. "But I know you'll do it, Roronicus. The boy who waited 2000 years for his girlfriend, the Last Centurion, demon hunter, the boy who's died and been erased from history. And you're still here. Still alive. I know you can do this Rory. Well, I hope you can do this kiddo."

Rory suddenly realises that this is it. This is Gabriel's _last _message. He really is gone. He slips off the couch, knells by the screen. He wants to scream and beg and cry. _Just come back._ But no sound comes out.

Gabriel sighs, "Well this is it Rory." He shakes his head, "And you know what? I've no idea what to say. Except for as humans go you're pretty awesome."

The screen cuts to black and Rory sits staring numbly at it, still kneeling on the floor.

When Amy returns she sits down and pulls him into her arms. "Roman stuff?" she asks, sympathetically. Rory shakes his head but she doesn't ask. She just holds him.

They get the letter from the Doctor telling them to go to Lake Silencio a few days afterwards and on their way there they stay in a motel so like the ones Rory spent his childhood summers in. He has no idea why the world hasn't ended yet. He has no idea whether Michael and Lucifer are still battling it out somewhere. He doesn't have Gabriel to ask.

While Amy is sleeping he thinks about calling Bobby. He could ask about the creature he's supposed to kill though he doubts Bobby could find anything about it. Even Gabriel seemed a little unclear about what the creature was. And he could ask about Sam and Dean.

But he doesn't phone Bobby.

He scrolls down to the number Sam gave him all those years ago. It's not like he thinks Sam will still _have_ the phone but for some reason he clicks call.

The phone is answered on the fourth ring. It's a gruff, angry bark, "Hello?"

"Dean?"

There's a pause and then Dean says, in a very small voice, "Rory?"

Rory wants to cry and laugh all at once. It's like coming home. "Where's Sam?"

* * *

><p>Rory stares at himself in the dirty motel mirror. He looks awful. His eyes are red rimmed; the shadows under them are almost purple. His hair is standing up at all angles and his clothes are rumpled.<p>

The apocalypse is over.

But Sam's gone. And Gabriel's gone.

And he can't tell anyone.

He remembers Gabriel telling him about the time his mouth was sown shut back when he was Loki. He imagines this is what that must have felt like (minus the physical pain). There's nothing physically stopping him from speaking but he _can't_. He can't tell anyone about the fact that he's tearing apart inside.

He's tried telling himself that this is life. Hunters die young and Sam went to hell to save the world. Gabriel died trying to save the world. Hell, even Rory's died trying to save the world (well the Doctor, but he pretty much counts as the world. He's Amy's world after all)

Amy knocks on the door, "You ready yet Roronicus?"

It stings when she calls him that. "Just about." He calls back.

"Good, 'cos it's a two hour trek up to that lake. I wanna get going soon!"

He sighs and puts his smile on. It's not hard. He's been doing it most of his life. He runs a hand through his hair and goes out to join his wife.

They go to the lake and watch the Doctor die and suddenly Rory can't think of anything but Amy and the Doctor. It's great, he throws himself into their adventures and dies a few more times. But at night when he and Amy are tangled together in their bunk bed all he can think about is Sam. So he starts wondering around the TARDIS at night. He spends hours in the Doctor's library; scouring books for any mention of a creature trapped in the centre of the Earth.

It's here the Doctor finds him. He appears suddenly from the forest of shelves and flashes Rory a goofy smile before dropping into a chair beside him and remarking cheerfully, "You're up late."

Rory glances up from the book (a book of alien myths) and nods. The Doctor reaches out and takes the book from Rory. "Interesting," he says, glancing at it before tossing it aside and sitting forwards, studying Rory intently.

Rory stares back.

"What's wrong Rory?" the Doctor asks eventually.

Rory's slightly taken aback. The Doctor's never really shown much interest in him up till now. They're friends, sure. But it's always the Doctor and Amy, heads leant together whispering, or giggling like teenage girls.

"Nothing," Rory replies carefully.

The Doctor frowns. "I've never understood it, why you humans insist on hiding your feelings from one another. It's very unhealthy."

Rory scoffs, "Right. Like you never do that."

The Doctor smiles brightly, "Rory Williams. Not scared of anything. That's what I like about you, Rory. So what's scaring you now?"

Rory looks away and the Doctor speaks again, "Amy's worried, you know. Apparently you talk in your sleep in Latin and now that you're here the TARDIS translates it for her sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"She's telepathic remember. If she knows you don't want anyone listening in she won't translate." The Doctor says with a proud smile. "You call out sometimes."

Rory nods. He's not quite sure what to say. He's slightly surprised that he's been talking in his sleep again; he'd thought he'd grown out of it. Sam used to tease him about it. It hurts to think about Sam and he winces slightly. The Doctor notices, of course.

"Talk to me, Rory." The Doctor says softly.

Rory looks up. The Doctor is watching him closely, concern evident in his blue eyes. Old eyes. It's something Rory will never get used too; the Doctor's face is young, but his eyes are old. Like Gabriel's.

"I know you want to." He adds.

"My father hunted monsters," Rory says without quite knowing why. It's like a great weight gone from his shoulders.

At this the Doctor grins, "You're a hunter! I knew it! You can always tell a hunter from most people. I travelled with one once, a long time ago. She was amazing. Wonderful. But that was way back, I haven't met a hunter for a while now. Must be hard though, being a hunter, Amy doesn't know, does she? No, you wanted to keep your two lives separate, right? And I know your parents are dead so I'm assuming you don't really talk to anyone about it. But I bet you've got some interesting stories to tell."

Rory's gaping at him and the Doctor laughs, "You could always tell me some, you know. If it'd make you feel better."

"I think I will." He says quietly. The Doctor beams and pats him on the shoulder and they agree to meet again in the library. And Rory feels slightly better because of all people (or aliens) the Doctor will understand how he feels. The Doctor will understand.

But the next day the Doctor reveals that Amy's not really Amy. And Rory doesn't think about himself anymore.

* * *

><p>Rory never did talk to the Doctor about being a hunter. There just wasn't time. But when the Doctor drops them off at the new house he's got them and Rory and Amy go up to the attic to investigate Rory realises that the Doctor didn't forget. On the door the Doctor has pinned a note- <em>just tell her Rory.<em>

The room in occupied by Rory's hunting gear. His father's journals and the few books Rory had from Bobby are put away on a bookshelf and Rory notices that the Doctor has added a few new ones to his collection. His guns and knives and other weapons are in an open chest in one corner. There's a desk and a laptop and on the shelf above the desk are four photo frames.

Amy walks around the room touching everything in quiet awe. She pauses at the desk and examines each photo closely. Picking them up and tracing the figures in them.

Rory's watching her, terrified.

She turns to him, holding the first photo. A smiling family. His fifth birthday party. "Is this your mum?" she asks. When Rory nods, she smiles. "She's beautiful. She looks a lot like you."

The next picture is him, his dad, Bobby and the Winchesters. The one after is him and Sam. He remembers taking it on John's old camera they found in the back of the Impala. A few days before Flagstaff. Rory's heart lurches. They were together then. In love.

Amy touches both the pictures. "Rory, who are these people?"

Rory makes a split second decision and steps forwards, "This," he says lifting the first picture, "is my family. And he-Sam," he says picking up the second and tracing Sam's smile. "Was my sort of boyfriend."

Amy blinks, green eyes wide as she tries to process this new information. When she picks up the last photo her hand is shaking. "And this?"

"That's a picture of _my _imaginary friend." He says, gazing at Gabriel's grin.

She nods and puts down the frame. "I think you have some explaining to do." She says, taking his hand.


	11. The Hunters and The Doctor

**AN: **Finally less angst! This a chapter filled with joy. A little. Anyway. For timing we'll say it's been a month or two since Rory and Amy last saw the Doctor and for SPN let's say what we've seen of season 7 has happened EXCEPT BOBBY DIDN'T DIE BECAUSE GODAMMIT YOU CAN'T TAKE BOBBY AND CAS AWAY.

Ahem. Thanks for the reviews and in reply to Kate I'm having trouble with pairings too. I love Rory/Amy but I also love Sam/Rory. I've written a Sam/Rory scene for later on but I don't know whether to include it!

* * *

><p><em>The Creature awakens with a start to find itself no longer constrained. <em>

_Its cage is gone. _

_It can move._

_It is free._

* * *

><p>Rory is almost asleep when he hears the familiar whirring sound coming from the garden. He hears Amy whoop and call to him and he shuts the heavy book with a yawn. He's been looking for Gabriel's creature. He hasn't found it yet.<p>

When he gets downstairs Amy and the Doctor are giggling together at the kitchen table. When he walks in the Doctor stands up and pulls him into a hug, "RORY!" he cries with joy. "It's been so long!"

"Yeah, it has Doctor." Rory says smiling widely.

"I was just talking to Amy about having a little catching up adventure. What do you say?" he says, with a cheeky grin.

Rory shrugs, "Yeah, awesome."

"Excellent!" The Doctor says, beaming. "Come along then Ponds. Let's go. Now, where to? Maybe Asgard, I had a wonderful picnic there last week. Or perhaps the planet I found last month, it's contained in a sort of time lock, people have evolved whose souls walk outside of their bodies as animals! It's wonderful! Or maybe..."

They reach the TARDIS and the Doctor's still blathering on about all the wonderful planets they could visit and Amy's listening, enamoured. Occasionally she makes suggestions and eventually they settle on a planet made up entirely of rainforests. An intergalactic nature reserve.

When the TARDIS lands Rory's the first to the doors and he throws them open excitedly only to be met with a very familiar scene. A motel. But that's not what catches his eye.

It's the car that has just pulled up outside of the motel. And the two men who clamber out of it wearily.

Rory makes a strangled noise in his throat and without a second thought runs out of the TARDIS towards the Impala. Dean sees him first, turning to check out the surrounding area. He gapes and his eyes go comically wide. His brother to him and laughs slightly before turning to see what Dean's looking at.

Sam's green eyes go wide and he chokes, "Rory..."

And then Rory's hugging Sam and he's not sure if he's crying or laughing or both. All he knows is that he's shaking and Sam's holding him like he'll never let go. When Sam finally does let him go Dean pulls him into a rough hug. And Rory's pretty sure this is all some wonderful dream.

Dean lets him go and the Winchesters stare at him, they're all at a loss for words.

"Rory," comes a cautious voice from behind him. _Amy_. "The Doctor says the TARDIS took us here for some reason deliberately. Are they the people from your photos?" she asks hesitantly.

Rory turns to her and nods, "Amy, this is Sam and Dean Winchester. Sam, Dean this is Amy Pond," he says, turning back to them. He hesitates and then says, "My wife."

He pretends not to notice the flicker of hurt-disappointment-jealousy that flashes across Sam's face and focuses instead on Dean's predatory glance at Amy. He clears his throat and Dean looks up at him, flashing him a winning smile and winking in approval. He rolls his eyes. _Same old Dean._

But Sam won't even look him in the eyes.

Amy laughs as they both shake her hands and makes a few jokes about not knowing Rory had such handsome friends. Rory looks away and spots the Doctor ambling towards them, looking completely baffled.

"It just doesn't make sense," he says when he reaches them completely ignoring Sam and Dean. "The TARDIS took us here but I don't understand why! What's here anyway? Nothing! And now she won't leave! Can you believe it, Ponds? Looks like we're stuck here!" Then he looks up and smiles at the Winchesters, "Hullo, I'm the Doctor."

"Doctor? Doctor who?" Dean asks.

"Just the Doctor!" says the Doctor brightly.

Dean and Sam look at Rory, eyebrows raised and Rory shook his head and let the Doctor ramble on to them, hoping that Dean would equate alien with monster and decided to shoot him. Amy leans up and whispers, "You didn't tell me they were that hot, Rory."

"Oh, so you're hunters too! Wonderful! Love a hunter!" he was saying. "Glad we've got that sorted! Now, one more question to answer: why did the TARDIS bring us here?"

Rory is about to say something about the creature under the Earth and about how the TARDIS must have found out about it but he doesn't need to because the Doctor's question is answered by a voice behind them.

"Well, probably because I told her to bucko."

Rory wants to shout and punch and scream at Gabriel all once. By the looks on Sam and Dean's faces they're having similar thoughts.

Instead he strides up to him and hugs him. "Don't you ever fucking dare to do that again, Gabriel." He whispers.

Gabriel smirks, "In my defence I didn't know what'd happen. I didn't think I'd get brought back, but heyho."

* * *

><p><em>It's free of Its cage.<em>

_It's free. _

_It starts to move. _

_It needs a body before it can get to the surface. _

_So it starts to search one out._

* * *

><p>The Doctor leads them into the TARDIS, watching Gabriel curiously and after they've gotten over the whole 'it's bigger on the inside!' Gabriel starts to talk. He tells them all what he told Rory, about the creature under the Earth.<p>

"It's free now," he says grimly. "I felt it when it happened."

"So what now?" Sam asks.

"It'll make its way up to the surface. It'll find a body and then I suppose it'll get on with destroying the universe." Gabriel shrugs.

"What is it with destroying the universe that's appealing, huh?" Dean growls, frustrated.

"What about the Leviathans?" Sam asks shooting his brother an annoyed look.

"What's a Leviathan?" Amy asks.

"We won't need to worry about them," Gabriel says waving a hand dismissively. "This creature will automatically be drawn to the most powerful things on Earth, which except for me and the Doc here will be the Leviathans. So hopefully it'll destroy them."

"That's oddly helpful..."

The Doctor was uncharacteristically silent throughout the whole conversation and only speaks when Gabriel admits to having no idea of how to stop the creature. He stands up and strides right up to Gabriel, "What are you, Gabriel?" he asks.

Gabriel blinks. "I'm an angel." He says, sounding slightly confused and Rory catches a glimpse of Gabriel's wings in his shadow. _God he's missed them._

The Doctor frowns, "An _angel_." He repeats. "I've never met one." his voice is cold.

Gabriel's stance changes immediately from relaxed to defensive. "Well you're the first Time Lord I've ever met so touché."

The Doctor's eyes narrow. "Angels don't exist. I've travelled the universe and never met one. I've never met a God either."

"Doctor," Rory says warningly. He can see Gabriel and a pissed off archangel is the last thing they need right now. Dean's getting angry now too.

The Doctor looks at him, blue eyes wide. "But Rory, listen to what he's saying. He's saying there's an evil creature living in a cage in the centre of the Earth. He's saying he's an _angel _Rory. A biblical angel, you know there's no God."

Gabriel looks like he's about to stab the Doctor in the face. "Doctor," Rory says, "I believe Gabriel. I know there are angels. Doctor just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

The Doctor's eyes widen a fraction and he turns to Amy, "Amy, please. Tell me you don't believe this."

She stammers, "I-Doctor...I don't know."

The Doctor looks crestfallen. Gabriel looks smug.

Dean stands up, "Well we better get researching."

Rory can't help feeling excited. It'll be like old times, him, Dean and Sam and Gabriel and now the Doctor and Amy as well. He starts to smile but then the Doctor says, very quietly. "No."

Everyone looks up.

"I'm not coming."

"Doctor...what?" Amy asks, looking more terrified then Rory's ever seen her.

"I'm not coming," the Doctor repeats. "I don't believe in monsters."

* * *

><p><em>It finds one.<em>

_It's in a cage surrounded by two, angry, powerful souls._


	12. The Bible Didn't Mention Us

**The Bible Didn't Mention Us.**

**AN: **Happy Christmas guys, hope you all have an ace time! And thanks a lot for all the reviews :) This fics drawing to a close, I've actually already written the final chapter which you will_ hate_ me for. Also I've decided on future Dean/Gabriel and there will be more Sam/Rory. :D

* * *

><p>They're holed up in a hotel and the Doctor is gone.<p>

After he'd announced he wasn't coming he'd hurried them out of the TARDIS and left without a backwards glance. Sam, Dean and Gabriel didn't seem bothered by it at all; in fact they seem happier without him (especially Gabriel). Rory was worried but the Doctor was a Time Lord, he knew what he was doing; if he didn't want to help that was his own business. Not that Rory didn't miss him. He would have been invaluable. But he had to get on with it.

And anyway, he had Sam and Dean back. And his angel. It was funny how after all those years he Dean and Sam got along like they'd never been apart and Gabriel...Well. It was like nothing had ever happened. This was just another case.

Sam's scouring books Gabriel's stolen for them (Sam still brushes his hair back like he used to), Dean's becoming increasingly annoyed with Sam's laptop and Rory's sitting in between them alternating between books and the internet. Gabriel's popping in and out and being generally unhelpful; since the creature escaped he hasn't been able to sense anything about it other than it's been getting closer.

And then there's Amy. Rory's worried about her. After the Doctor left she seemed okay for a little while, she joked with Sam and Gabriel and mock-flirted with Dean, she did research, she charmed Bobby into helping them and she even charmed the motel owner into giving them a few extra nights free. But it's been a day since the Doctor left and she's practically catatonic.

"He'll come back, right Rory?" she'd asked in such a small voice that for a few minutes Rory was convinced he'd imagined it.

Rory didn't know so he'd lied. "Yeah, of course he will."

Now she was sitting outside on the roof of the Impala, gazing skyward. Rory had sat out there with her until she'd snapped at him to "get on with saving the bloody world!" and he'd scarpered back inside.

"She'll be okay, right?" Sam asks quietly. "I mean she seemed to really look up to that Doctor guy."

Rory nods, "She'll be fine." He knows she will be. He _hopes _she will be. "Besides, the Doctor'll probably come back. He wouldn't just leave her."

From his current position on one of the beds Gabriel scoffs, "I wouldn't be so sure of the Roronicus." Sam and Rory ignore him and they go back to researching. They've been at it for over a day and so far they haven't found _anything._ They're getting desperate and Gabriel's twitchiness lets them know that time is running out.

They don't find anything until they get a call from Bobby.

"_Finally_," Dean says as he answers. "You better be calling with some info, Bobby. I'm about this close to siding with the Doc if you don't."

He puts Bobby on speaker. "'Fraid I don't have much," Bobby answers gruffly. "But there's something you need to see. Turn on the news, right now."

Sam flicks on the TV and finds a news channel.

"And this is the shocking and brutal murder of businessman Dick Roman and several others," the reporter says as a picture of the man flashes up on screen.

"Whoa, that's the Leviathan leader," Sam breaths. "I thought he was like, invincible."

"The prime suspect in this horrific act is 22 year old Adam Milligan from Minnesota who went missing along with his mother almost two years ago."

Sam and Dean exchange disbelieving glances as a picture of Adam flashes up on screen.

"We now go live too..." the reporter was saying but Dean shut the TV off.

"It got Adam..." he whispers, turning to Gabriel who looks equally horrified. "It got into the cage."

Gabriel's eyes widen and he vanishes.

* * *

><p><em>Getting into the cage is laughably easy. The two archangels in there are even easier to defeat. One is twisted and broken and it fights like a rabid dog, the other is stronger but equally broken, it fights like a soldier. It decides against destroying the angels, instead it traps them in the body. With It. And It revels in their distress. <em>

_In the body there is already a soul. A broken, terrified, mutilated, little soul. Hardly a soul anymore. Some deep part of It feels sorry for the soul, so it allows it to remain in the body. The soul doesn't exactly pose a threat anyway. _

_It rests for a while and takes the opportunity to learn all it can from the souls. When It has It knows Its name and Its purpose and It clambers to the surface._

_It senses several energies when It gets there. One It recognises as an angel, the other is ancient and lonely and the third is old and destructive just like It. _

_That's where It heads first._

_Dick Roman is what the Leviathan is calling itself. It remembers when the Leviathans were new. When they were the first of the living beings of the universe. When It was free to corrupt as It pleased. Now the Leviathans are petty beings, attempting to take this planet for their own._

_All It wants to do is destroy everything the Creator loved._

_When It strides into Dick Roman's office the Leviathan doesn't recognise him. Dick smiles beguilingly, "And what can I do for you, young man?"_

_It laughs. The Leviathan thinks It's here for an interview, a signature. So It strides up to Dick and smiles, "I'm not what one would call __**young**__."_

_The Leviathan frowns and laughs nervously, but then it makes eye contact and recoils in horror. "__**You**__," the Leviathan spits. "What are you?"_

_It smiles at the Leviathan's distress. "Once I had a name but it was lost, even to me. Now I have many names. I am the destroyer, bringer of chaos," It says, making the room shake and laughing as the Leviathan cowers against the wall. _

"_Death and the Creator fear me and they called me Abaddon!"_

* * *

><p>Gabriel finds him easily enough. He appears right in front of him and Adam-not Adam turns and cocks his head to the side before smiling sadistically.<p>

"You are the Creators messenger," the thing that isn't Adam says. "I met your brothers recently."

"Where are they?" Gabriel spits, drawing his archangel blade. He knows the blade is useless. But this creature has taken his brothers from him. At least in the cage they were still alive.

The creature laughs, "Do you really think _that_ could hurt _me?_ Come now, angel. You know better than that. Your Creator had to build a whole planet around my cage to keep me in. There is nothing _you _can do."

Gabriel lowers the blade a fraction and repeats his question, "Where are my brothers?"

The creature smiles, "They're in here. The human boy too. They're watching right now, do you have a message for them?"

Gabriel feels dizzy. His brothers, Michael and Lucifer, the most powerful beings, bar his father, in the universe are trapped in the creature's body.

"They were disappointingly easy to defeat," the creature says, absentmindedly picking its nails. "As was the Leviathan." It looks up at Gabriel and purrs, "_You _would be little more than child's play to destroy."

Gabriel's shaking now, wishing he hadn't come. "Why haven't you then?" he asks, despite himself.

A dark chuckle. "Oh, where would the fun be in _that_? I know you and your little charges are going to try and defeat me. I have time and it would be amusing to see you attempt it."

_I have time._ A sudden thought strikes Gabriel; this creature had been trapped in the earth for more than a million years, what if it wasn't at its full power potential yet? Gabriel licks his dry lips. "Who are you?"

The creature smiles again. "Oh, I've had many names, your father called me Abaddon. The destroyer." Then it cocks its head to the side. "Your brother's both betrayed you. Why do you care?"

Gabriel answers without hesitation, "They're my brothers. My family."

Abbadon nods thoughtfully. "Odd." Then it grins evilly, "Now fly away little angel before I change my mind."

Gabriel doesn't need telling twice.

When he gets back Sam, Rory and Dean are sitting pale faced in a circle. To Gabriel's surprise Dean's the first one to his feet, "Godammit Gabriel!" he snarls. "You can't just vanish like that!"

Rory nods, "We were worried sick."

Gabriel not quite sure what he's meant to say back to their concern (he's not sure anyone's ever been this concerned about him since his brothers, a thought that makes him wince) so instead he says, "Abaddon. It's called Abaddon. And it's got my brothers and yours."

For a few moments there's silence and then Sam says quietly, "I read about Abaddon somewhere. It's mentioned in the bible, in Hebrew it's a place. In Christian lore he's the king of a bottomless pit. But both of them mention him- or it- as a being of destruction."

"Well that sounds peachy," Dean mutters. "I assume the bible didn't include a section on how to destroy it, did it?"

Sam shakes his head and Dean sighs dramatically. "Guess we better get back to researching then."

"But at least we have a name," Rory points out brightly as they each pick up books.

* * *

><p>"Come on Raggedy Man," Amy says quietly as she gazes up at the stars. "I know you're up there and I know you're listening so you damn well better hear this.<p>

"I know you believe in monsters because you fight them every day of your life and I know you believed Gabriel was an angel. I also know you only wanted me and Rory to come with you so we wouldn't have to beat this thing, whatever it is. You may think you're all mysterious and impossible to read but you really aren't. I know the truth, Doctor. I know that you believe in this monster and I know that it terrifies you and I've never seen you terrified. But here's the thing Doctor, Rory and Sam and Dean and Gabriel and me? We're all terrified too. So you've got no excuse and if you're not here with us by this time tomorrow then I'll-I'll ban you from seeing my daughter, you hear that mister?"

She laughs softly to herself and looks up one last time at the sky before climbing off the Impala and heading back into the motel room.


	13. You Quietly Made Me

**AN: **Thanks a lot for the reviews as always! This is a long chapter finally! And it's totally not because I have no idea how they're going to destroy Abaddon. Okay. Well maybe it is. Anyway, enjoy the stalling chapter of stalling-ness! Also. Slash is abundant in this chapter. Also over use of 'And'.

Chapter title from Battle of the Boy Least Likely To by The Boy Least Likely To.

* * *

><p>The fact that they now have a name doesn't seem to make much difference, research is still getting them nowhere and Rory's starting to remember why he wanted to keep his two lives separated.<p>

Dean and Amy get along fine, they tease each other like siblings and Rory's glad about that. She's fine with Gabriel too, she even convinces him to share some of his sweets with her (something it took Rory months to accomplish). Its Sam Rory worries about.

He isn't openly mean, Sam never was, but his heckles always seem to be raised, he glares at her from across the room and answers her in a gruff, cold voice. One word answers. He acts like Amy should know far more than she ever could. It's petty and childish and Rory hates Sam for it. Though he has to admit that if their roles were reversed he'd do the same.

Amy seems to understand so she avoids Sam and gives Rory an apologetic look that breaks Rory's heart. _Sorry I'm here,_ it says, _sorry I'm in the way._ He wonders if she knows that that was how he felt when he first met the Doctor. Dean seems to understand as well because half way through their third day of solid research he tugs Sam outside by his collar and Rory hears them arguing.

Part of Rory wants to say _guys; we have a universe to save. We can do this later. _But what if there isn't a later?

Gabriel has been gone for half an hour, looking for ancient books that Sam found on the web so Amy shuts her laptop and comes to sit next to Rory where he's sprawled out on the bed leafing through a book so ancient he's scared it'll crumble.

She runs a hand through his hair and he says, "I'm sorry the Doctor left."

Amy smiles knowingly. "He'll be back. He was just scared, that's all."

And Rory shivers. The Doctor's nine-hundred and something years old, if Abaddon can scare _him_ this badly how is he, Rory Williams, the nurse-hunter from Leadworth supposed to stop it? He's not a Time Lord or an Archangel. He's not responsible for saving the universe or stopping the apocalypse. He's just a boy who's never known when to give up on love.

It's Sam who finally finds something; day four, hour twenty (not that Rory's been counting). Amy's asleep; Dean's gone on a food run and Gabriel is off doing whatever Gabriel did when he wasn't being helpful. Sam's sitting at the desk on his laptop so Rory comes up behind him and leans in to peer at the screen.

Sam visibly stiffens when Rory's hand brushes against his shoulder. "See?" he says, pointing to the screen. "The cult of Abaddon. Says here they used to be pretty popular during the Dark Ages, sort of a branch of Christianity who believed that God trapped an evil being under the earth before Lucifer."

"Sounds good," Rory says stupidly.

Sam frowns at him and carries on, "They say that the creature is pure chaos and destruction, like the spirit of it. Older then death and maybe even older then God. Apparently the cage would only open after a shift in time and reality. So that'd be the Doctor's doing, I guess?" when Rory nods Sam continues. "Abaddon is supposed to rise and then after seven days he'll be at his full strength."

"Wait, what? But we've wasted two days researching!"

Sam waves away his concern. "We can't worry about lost time now, Ror."

Rory's heart sings at those simple words because it's just like old times. "Does it say anything about how to stop it?" he asks, trying to keep his voice steady.

Sam frowns at the screen, "Not much, a lot of the cult's writings have been lost; it was a long time ago. Only thing I can find is a part that says 'the only thing that can destroy chaos is chaos itself.'"

"Well that's just maddeningly unhelpful," Rory mumbles and Sam nods in agreement. He sighs and goes back to the bed, "We could ask Gabriel to see if he can find something." Rory says tiredly.

Sam shakes his head, "He'd probably have to time travel. Cas said that time travel is hard for angels; the further back they want to go the harder it gets."

"Is there anything else useful on there?"

"Nah, just a link to poem. Doesn't seem relevant at all." Sam's voice is tight and Rory can tell that the poem must hold _some _relevance. He stands up and Sam glances quickly at him, "It's just a silly kid's rhyme; the one about the two dead boys."

_Flagstaff._ Rory breaths in sharply. Sam's watching him closely and Rory's not sure what he's searching for. Rory looks at Sam and there's so many things he wants to say but he can't say any of them because they've all piled together and become tangled up and he can't string them back together.

"Sam..." he begins.

But they're interrupted as Dean slams through the door with an armful of unhealthy food.

* * *

><p>Gabriel can't find anything more on the cult; it's strange, almost as if it had been erased from time itself, so they decide their only possible way forward is to analyse the hell out of what they've got. And what they've got isn't much.<p>

Gabriel's told them that the rhyme is probably relevant, these things do happen. "Like Demons Run." Amy points out brightly. He's also told them that the two dead boys are Rory and Sam (although Dean's died far more times than Sam, Gabriel should now). Gabriel's not sure why, it's just the way things are meant to be.

He has no idea what they're supposed to do though. The rhyme says, "_back to back they faced each other, pulled out their swords and shot each other_." They have no idea what it means. The website says the only thing that can destroy chaos is chaos itself, Sam suggests that that might mean that only something of the creatures can destroy it. But they have nothing of Abaddon's. And Gabriel can't find anything.

To everyone's surprise its Sam who finally says it. He sighs and shuts his laptop, "Guys, we might as well face it. We're screwed."

Gabriel looks up at him and says, "Sam's right."

Dean and Rory nod although Rory thinks he should probably try and get everyone to carry on with the research just in case they find _something._ But he doesn't. He's given up on the Doctor coming back. He's given up on saving the universe.

Gabriel stands up and salutes, "It's been an honour serving with you all!" he says.

Dean pushes him over and says, "Welp. Guess we better start on the last-night-on-earth-activities. Namely drinking. I'll go get supplies."

Sam stands up and leaves with his brother and Gabriel says, "There are a few people I want to warn. Be back in a few."

Amy comes to sit next to Rory and leans on him. He puts his arms around her. "Should we keep trying, Amy?" he asks shakily. "Should we give up this easily?"

She smiles at him and kisses him on the cheek, "Oh, Rory. You never did know when to give up. We've done all we can."

Rory frowns at her, "But it's the universe. Amy, the _universe_ is about to end because we're too stupid to figure it out!"

Amy chuckles slightly and ruffles his hair fondly. "Rory there are thousands of things out there, humans and angels and aliens. Do you really think they're going to lie down and die without a fight?"

"But Gabriel said..."

"So what? He's just an angel. An earth angel. What about all the other Gods and religions out there? They all have their own myths, Ror. We'll be okay, I know we will. The Doctor will come back."

And Rory realises that Amy truly does believe he'll come back. She doesn't think that this is the end of the world, she doesn't realise. "Amy..."

She holds up a hand to stop him and says, "I know. But he'll be here and I'm going to go wait for him."

"You're going to sit outside all night, again?" He asks dismayed.

She smiles again. It reminds him of the way River would smile wisely and knowingly say, "_Spoilers._" Thinking of River breaks his heart. The universe might end and he'll never get to say goodbye. "Rory. You don't want to spend tonight with me. I'm not stupid. And you know what; you'll hate me for saying this but its okay. I don't mind sharing you with Sam."

Rory splutters and she laughs at him, "I love you, Rory."

"I-I love you, Amy." He squeaks.

* * *

><p>Amy steps out into the chilly night air and smiles. She knew it would be there. The TARDIS. It's hidden slightly in the small wooded area across from the motel. The doors open so strides across to it and steps through, the doors swing shut behind her.<p>

The Doctor is leaning sulkily on the console. "She brought me back." He mutters childishly.

Amy crosses her arms.

He sighs. "Amy, I'm sorry. But I don't-"

"No," she cuts him off. "You don't get to run away this time Doctor. You're going to help us take this thing down because you I know you love us."

He looks at her through his wide blue eyes and she says, "I know you're scared but isn't that the point? Fighting your fears, yeah?"

It takes a long time but eventually the Doctor smiles slightly, "Oh, Amelia. How could I say no?" But then he sighs, "I need some time, will you give me time?"

She smiles. "Of course, but I'm coming too. You're taking me to see my daughter."

The Doctor laughs, "And Rory?"

"He's where he needs to be."

They've drunk far too much and for a while it made them forget. But they've run out of booze and money and they're all suffering from what Gabriel's affectionately dubbed 'The End of the World Blues'.

Rory and Sam are a tangle of limbs on the couch. His head's on Sam's chest and listening to the steady beat of Sam's heart. It's reassuring, the universe is still here. Sam's still here. And it's like they were never apart and nothing's changed.

Except everything has changed.

Dean's spread-eagled on the floor and Gabriel's sat staring moodily into his empty beer bottle. They're swapping stories about adventures. It's funny and sad at the same time. Dean's telling them about the time he and Sam almost died because of a cursed rabbit's foot and it's making Sam laugh. Rory's missed that sound.

"I'm gonna go get some air," Gabriel says, abruptly leaving.

They all stare after him for a few minutes and after an awkward silence Dean stands up and mumbles something about finding more money and booze. When he leaves Sam sighs, "Guess he felt like a third wheel."

And Rory laughs even though it's wrong and asks quietly, "Did you ever think we'd be here?"

Sam chuckles, "I think so, yeah. I mean think about it Ror, me being a lawyer, you a doctor. 2.5 kids and a white picket fence? That was never going to be us."

"Yeah..." Rory mumbles. He thinks about trying to explain River to Sam but he's far too drunk to even attempt it so he keeps silent.

"You know I almost got married," Sam says quietly. "Her name was Jess. She's dead now. I loved her a lot but...I don't know. I don't think I could have actually married her."

Rory shifts slightly, so that his head is against Sam's shoulder and he can look up at him. _Godammit. _He shouldn't be doing this. He's _married. _He loves Amy. HelovesAmy. "Why?" he asks.

Sam looks at Rory and says, "She wasn't you." As though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Rory loves Amy Pond. But he loves Sam Winchester too. So he doesn't pull away when Sam kisses him. And he doesn't stop Sam from dragging him to one of the bedrooms.

* * *

><p>Dean watches Gabriel stare up at the stars from for a few minutes before approaching him.<p>

"You know most of the stars you can see here are already dead," the archangel says as Dean stops beside him.

"Well that's...cheery," Dean says, frowning at the trickster. "You know I never thanked you for, you know, standing up to Lucifer like that. Saving our lives." He says awkwardly.

Gabriel turns to him and smirks, leaning back on the wall behind him. "No problem big boy. Now, unless you're going to actually _do _something to show your gratitude I suggest you go find more alcohol."

Dean looks at the smirking archangel and makes a split second decision. He leans in and pins Gabriel against the wall before crushing their mouths together.

It's not a soft kiss. It's all teeth and violence and anger and desperation and it leaves Dean breathless. He runs a hand down Gabriel's back, where he imagines Gabriel's wings would be and Gabriel shivers and groans. When Dean pulls away Gabriel looks slightly dazed and Dean inwardly celebrates this as a victory against the angel.

Then Gabriel looks at Dean pointedly, "I'm not Cas, you know." He says.

Dean frowns and pretends the name doesn't shatter his heart further. "I know," he replies, keeping Gabriel boxed up against the wall. He leans in to kiss him again but Gabriel turns away and for a moment Dean catches a flicker of emotion in Gabriel's golden eyes. _Hurthopelustconfusion._

He takes Gabriel by the shoulders and leans in to look him straight in the eye. "Cas was my best friend but if I was ever going to do this with an angel it would be _you_." He says before adding, "Idiot," for good measure.

Gabriel doesn't look very convinced but this time when Dean leans in he doesn't pull away.


	14. The End of the World

**AN: **had a brainwave last night about how they'll defeat Abaddon (and save Adam because I love him so much it's _unreal) _it's like the lamest idea of lame. Seriously, let down of the year. BUT I'M NOT A GENIUS SO IT'LL HAVE TO DO. Cookie for anyone who guesses who Gabe's vessel is.

Guys. There are only two chapters left after this. I can't believe it's almost over! Plus. The next two chapters are crazy short. Waa.

* * *

><p>When the Doctor bursts through the motel door that morning he isn't expecting to see Dean pressing Gabriel against the kitchen wall and kissing him as though the archangel was the hunter's lifeline. But he does and for a moment that makes him pause, behind him Amy sniggers. "It's just two guys kissing Doctor, get over it," she says in a low voice.<p>

The Doctor shakes his head and glares at her briefly before turning back to the motel room and booming, "Right, boys we've got ourselves an ancient being to defeat!"

Dean springs away from Gabriel gaping and Gabriel mock-pouts, "Baby, are you ashamed of me?"

Dean ignores him and turns to the Doctor, angrily. "What the hell, Doc? You bailed on us!" he says as Rory emerges rubbing his eyes from the bedroom.

Amy puts a hand on the Doctor's shoulder and answers for him, "Hey, Winchester. Even 900-and-something-aliens get scared every now and then."

Gabriel raises an eyebrow, "Well if this thing has got the Doctor running scared I guess we got our work cut out for us this time."

* * *

><p>The Doctor spends all of five minutes looking through their research before he leaps up excitedly, "So, this is good, very good. So we already know that the 'two dead boys' are Rory and Sam. Now we just need to find your swords! Now, it says here that 'chaos can destroy chaos,' well that's annoying unhelpful. What's chaos? Everything's chaos! Life, death, existence, matter, antimatter-Oh."<p>

His eyes went wide, "_Oh_. That's it! That is brilliant!"

Sam and Dean exchange wide eyed looks and Amy smiles at them, "Don't worry, he does that."

"Doctor, what's brilliant?" Rory prompts.

"The Westanals of the Sirius star system!" he cries happily, as though it's the most obvious thing in the world. Then seeing everyone's blank faces, his face fell. "Honestly, what do you humans learn about school?

"The Westanals were one of the cleverest races ever in existence and possibly the greatest scientific minds. In the 40th century their whole star system was threatened by an intergalactic so they invented a weapon to prevent it; they created two swords made of pure antimatter!"

Rory and Sam exchange a look. "But Doctor that's impossible," Sam says slowly.

The Doctor chuckles, "Oh, you humans. Always so bound up with reality and possibility, I'm willing to bet a few years ago you thought time travel was impossible too. This universe is impossibly huge and somewhere out there is a place for everything to be possible."

Sam looks unconvinced but he doesn't say anything. So Rory speaks instead, "But Doctor antimatter and matter can't come together. It's impossible, it'd cause...something bad." He finishes lamely.

The Doctor smiles at him, "Yes it most definitely would but I'm forty percent sure the swords are what we need! So let's go!" The Doctor turns and snaps his fingers and the TARDIS (which he moved to inside the motel room) opens slowly.

"Forty percent isn't exactly comforting, Doc." Gabriel mutters, following the Doctor nonetheless.

* * *

><p>The TARDIS lands on an icy planet in the middle of a forest full of pine trees. The sky is clear and star filled and whole landscape is covered in a blanket of snow. Here and there amongst the trees are the mangled wreckage of what looked like they were once armoured vehicles and Rory was ninety percent sure he could see a couple of frozen bones sticking out of the snow here and there. The woods were silent but for the gentle crunching their feet made as the stepped out of the TARDIS.<p>

Gabriel shivers, "I met my vessel in a place like this."

"Shh," the Doctor whispers. "These woods aren't empty. We've got to be quick."

"Why? What's out there?" asks Dean, hand automatically going to the gun tucked into his jeans.

The Doctor eyes him distastefully and then turns away, "Whatever killed the Westanals." He says ominously. "No one knows what it was. A whole race destroyed in one night, no survivors, no evidence of any other beings on the planet. Just gone in a few short hours. No one comes here anymore, they say it's haunted."

"Doctor," Amy whispers as they begin to walk. "If they were attacked why didn't they use those swords?"

The Doctor pauses and chuckles and sound echoes eerily through the snow. "Oh, Amy. They weren't stupid." He says, shaking his head at her before continuing onwards into the woods. Sam and Gabriel both open their mouths to speak but Amy catches their eyes and shakes her head so they follow the Doctor in silence.

He leads them to the ruins of a great city empty except for the corpses of ruined buildings strewn about the place. The temple is right in the centre and Rory thinks it must have been pretty impressive before the planet was destroyed. He wonders if Earth will look like this if Abaddon beats them. If all the great cities, London, Paris, New York, will be nothing more then burnt out husks, skeletons covered in ash and bone dust. And all of it will be silent as the grave. The Doctor leads them through the temple till the reach a room with two swords imbedded in a stone. It makes Rory giggle a little too high pitched to sound sane and the Doctor shoots him a worried look and Dean sniggers.

"Sorry," Rory mumbles. "It's just, you know, the sword in the stone."

"Swords," corrects the Doctor. "Yes, they can only be pulled out by people who are already dead." He says brightly.

"Um, Doctor. I'm not dead." Rory points out and the Doctor gives him a despairing look.

"Well spotted, Rory. But you should be and so," he turns to Sam. "Should _you._ Both of you know death and both of you have sacrificed your lives for others indicating that you aren't in the least bit afraid of dying again. So, hopefully, you two should be able to free the swords."

Rory and Sam stare at each other and Amy gets impatient, "Well, come on then, the universe isn't going to save itself!" she says grabbing them both by the hand and leading them up to the swords.

"This is crazy," mutters Rory as his hand closes around one black hilt.

"Yep, this is pretty crazy," Sam agrees as he grips the remaining hilt. "Ready?" he asks looking up at Rory. "On three. One, two, three!"

The swords come loose instantly and Rory's slightly saddened by the fact that both of them are wrapped tightly in a thick, yellowy-brown fabric. Sam reaches out to undo but the Doctor cries, "No! Stop! Are you crazy?"

Sam looks up, bewildered and the Doctor shakes his head, "If you uncover that sword the antimatter will come in to contact with the matter in this room and who knows what'll happen! The whole room might explode, or worse the whole planet! Or we might create a black hole and be sucked into and..." he pauses, glancing around at everyone who was staring at him aghast. "What?" he asks frowning.

"You want use to use these weapons on _earth_," Sam says.

The Doctor laughs, "Oh, _that_! Of course I wouldn't!" and with that he turns and begins to stride out of the room, "Come along, children. There's one more thing we've got to pick up!"

* * *

><p>"Adadimondium!" The Doctor says triumphantly as he shows them the little package. "The hardest substance in the universe! And it's see through! It's brilliant. We can use this thing to contain the explosion...hopefully."<p>

"Doc, that thing is about the size of an egg." Dean says, shaking his head.

"Oh, it folds out of course." The Doctor says waving a hand as sets the TARDIS to take them back to Earth. "In to a nice little dome. It'll be perfect!"

"But we'll be in the dome, with Abaddon," Sam says slowly. "What'll happen to us?"

The Doctor's smile falters and he looks around at them all sadly. "I'm sorry. I don't know."

"Nothing's going to happen to you," Rory says quietly. "You and Amy and Gabriel and Dean, you all need to be back in the TARDIS and out of there before Sam and I kill Abaddon."

The Doctor and Dean start to protest but Sam silences them, "No, he's right. The universe always needs protecting right? Who'll do that if we all die?"

"No," Amy says. "No, Rory. I'm not leaving you out there alone. I won't. I can't lose you again!"

Rory ignores her, not out of spite but because if he looks at her she'll win. She always does. Instead he looks at the Doctor and the Doctor stares back, long and hard. Eventually he speaks, "Okay, Rory."

"You'll look after her?" Rory breaths, relief flooding through him.

"Of course I will."

Rory smiles and knows the Doctor will keep his word.

Dean is watching Sam silently and Sam turns to him, "You're being awful quiet." He says, smiling nervously. "Shouldn't you be, like, trying to stop me?"

Dean smiles, "What good would it do? Besides, you know I'll find a way to bring you back. I always do."

Sam laughs breathlessly, "And Rory too?"

And Dean chuckles, "Yeah, yeah. Your boyfriend too."

* * *

><p>The get back to Earth and the Doctor has overshot a little and they only have one day till the time is up. The TARDIS stops shaking and the sky outside is dark even though it should be midday. On the news they're calling it a super storm and people everywhere are expecting the end of the world, it's kind of sad really.<p>

"He'll be out there waiting for us, won't he?" Sam asks quietly.

The Doctor smiles sadly and nods. Amy's disappeared into the TARDIS and Rory hopes she'll come to say goodbye, even though he knows she won't. Dean gives them each a rough hug and the Doctor does the same but Gabriel just stares at him. "Aren't you, uh, going to say goodbye?" Rory asks.

"No, you don't seriously think I'm staying here, do you? Someone's gotta open up the addawhatium dome thing." The archangel says smiling winningly and then he adds, "Look that thing out there has my brothers. I'm not staying here."

Rory doesn't argue, instead he beams, "Not today, Gabriel."

Gabriel laughs, "Not today, Rory."

Sam's by the TARDIS doors, "Ready?"

"When you are Sammy-boy," Gabriel says.


	15. One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night

**AN: **here lies the crappiest ending to a fic ever. But thank you so much for sticking with it for so long. It's short because I don't have anything more to add.

* * *

><p><em>One fine day, in the middle of the night.<em>

Rory and Sam stand shoulder to shoulder. The sky has gone dark; there's been no sunlight for almost two days. Gabriel, Dean, Amy and the Doctor are standing behind them.

Abaddon appears with a cold grin on his face, "Well, well, well. Finally ready to face me?" he says slowly.

"Last chance, Abaddon," the Doctor says. "Give up this fight and we'll let you go."

Abaddon laughs, "Oh, _Doctor_. You are so funny. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your request."

_Two dead boys got up to fight._

The plan is simple.

Gabriel will vanish and put up the dome. The TARDIS will dematerialise and Sam and Rory will destroy Abaddon. The Doctor says he's not sure what'll happen. Best case scenario Abaddon will die and Adam, Sam's half-brother will be okay. But that's unlikely. What's likely to happen is a massive explosion that will kill them all.

Rory swallows.

"Adam, if you're in there and you can hear me, I'm sorry. But we'll do everything we can to try and get you back." Sam says.

_Back to back they faced each other._

Gabriel vanishes.

Abaddon smiles slowly. "I am going to enjoy this."

Sam catches Rory's eye and their fingers touch briefly. "We were good, weren't we?" he whispers.

"The best," Rory says, smiling.

They both hear the familiar whirring of the TARDIS.

_Pulled out their swords and shot each other. _

"Love you," Sam whispers but Rory doesn't get time to reply because suddenly Abaddon is right in front of them.

The lift the swords and rip of the paper at the same time and Rory takes Sam's hand.

Time stops.

_A deaf police man heard the noise._

Abaddon giggles, "Oh, _you two_! You think they'll kill me? They'll just slow me down, it's you they'll hurt more." He nods behind them.

And the TARDIS is frozen in the air.

Rory's eyes widen, "_Gabriel!" _he chokes and he's not sure why, it's not like the archangel could teleport the TARDIS away, especially an archangel who's been cut off from heavens power for so long. But Gabriel's nowhere to be found.

Abaddon cackles and the whole world implodes around them.

_And came and shot those two dead boys._


	16. Epilogue: No Sound But the Wind

**AN: **the final chapter. All I have to say is: I'M SORRY DON'T HURT ME. I have a few ideas for a sequel if anyone's interested?

* * *

><p>When they wake up they're alone. The Last Centurion and Lucifer's true vessel, sat in a crater filled with ash and darkness.<p>

"Th-They're gone," Rory stammers. "They're all gone, Sammy." His chokes out.

Sam looks around. There's no Dean. No Doctor. No Amy. No Lucifer. No Michael. No Gabriel. No Adam. No TARDIS. But there's no Abbadon either. And the earth's still spinning. For some reason that surprises Sam. He should be used to it by now: the fact that the earth keeps spinning even though it feels like it's just ended.

He leans forward and pulls Rory's shaking body awkwardly into his arms. "It'll be okay, Rory. It'll be okay." He mumbles hollowly.

"But they're gone, how can they just be gone?" Rory repeats.

Sam shakes his head and holds Rory tighter as he dissolves into tears.

There's a flutter of wings and Gabriel appears in front of them. He falls to his knees. "I'm sorry," he mutters, his eyes wide, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Sam looks up at him, "We can get them back, right?"

Gabriel continues to mumble, his eyes unseeing. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know...Sorry."

"_Gabriel_!"

The archangel looks up at him.

"We can get them back, _right?_" Sam repeats.

Gabriel blinks, "I-I don't know, Sam."

When Sam reaches out to him Gabriel flinches away but instead of hitting him Sam pulls him towards him and Rory. Gabriel falls against them, his wings unfurling protectively around them.

"We'll get them back." Sam whispers determinedly. "We'll get them back."


End file.
